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11 | 02 | 2017 VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 44

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ELMIRA SUBDIVISION BATTLE A GROWING THEME

As budget talks get rolling, region aiming to keep tax increase under 3%

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DRIVER CHARGED AFTER CYCLIST SUSTAINS SERIOUS INJURIES

FAISAL ALI EARLY IN THE 2018 budget process, Waterloo Region council is looking to keep tax increases below three per cent, about double the current consumer price index of inflation.

Budget talks got under way in earnest last week Starting with the October 24 meeting, councillors are now working to narrow down on the spending priorities for 2018, as well as settle on the regional tax rate for the year, the price of water and waste water, and other services.

Regional staff are currently working out a baseline budget for the region – essentially, the basic spending in the budget for services already approved by council or in place. From there, council will have the onerous task of deciding how to build on top of that.

While it is too early to speculate how a final budget might look, Wellesley Mayor Joe Nowak, who represents the township on regional council, said he expected the final tax rate increase to be around 2.9 per cent, in keeping with previous years’ efforts to set the tax rate increase under 3 per cent.

Of the items under deliberation just now, one that caught his eye was a BUDGET | 2

A 41-year-old Woolwich Township woman was transported to Grand River Hospital with serious injuries after being struck from behind by a car Tuesday evening while cycling on Reid Woods Drive near Floradale. The 18-year-old woman who was driving the car was subsequently charged with careless driving and driving with a handheld communication device.

[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER]

Neighbours take issue with latest subdivision plan for Elmira Southwood 4 project in the southwest part of town would feature increased densities, raising concerns from parking to appropriateness

STEVE KANNON WHAT THE DEVELOPER CALLS benefits in proposing a new subdivision in Elmira, existing residents see as nothing but problems for their neighbourhood.

Inappropriate land use, densities, traffic and parking headed a long list of concerns aired at a public meeting at Woolwich council Monday night to discuss the Southwood 4 project.

Proposed for some 70 acres of land fronting on 1143 Listowel Rd. in the south end,

it would essentially form a link between Whippoorwill Drive and Listowel Road.

The Birdland Developments plan proposes 444 to 513 new residential units – a mix of singles (176 to 194 houses), semis (50), townhouses (68 to 94 units) and apartments (150 to 175) – that would be home to an estimated 1,165 to 1,300 people.

Having that many people shoehorned into an area that already has traffic and parking problems will create more issues, residents maintained. They also

raised fears about the incompatibility of denser housing proposed to be wedged into a triangular space along the west end of Whippoorwill Drive, adjacent to single-family homes on larger lots.

“It doesn’t seem to go with our neighbourhood,” said Candace MacKenzie, airing common concerns about density and traffic.

She questioned why it was all of the higher density homes – apartments and townhouses – were proPLAN | 2

2 | NEWS

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

BUDGET: Public meetings start Nov. 22

PLAN: Residents have a long list of questions

FROM | COVER

FROM | COVER

some attention is going to have to be given to them.

Hopefully we can find the money this year.”

Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz, his regional council colleague, took a more circumspect tone, pointing out that the final tax rate percentage decided by the region “overall isn’t necessarily the same percentage in each municipality, so I’m kind of reserving a little bit of judgment to see how it affects us here.”

In the preliminary budget presented to council, the tax rate hike was calculated at about 3.4 per cent.

Regional Chair Ken Seiling, however, said he expected councillors would be looking to get that rate increase under three per cent.

“Well I think it depends on council,” said Seiling.

“We have some public meetings scheduled to get public input, and usually public input is not to decrease services – it’s usually to increase services. But there are some things that staff will be recommending or that will carry through

request by regional staff for the region to purchase and staff two additional ambulances.

“I think that that’s something that sort of stood out for me, something that I’ll watch when they bring that report to council to see what sort of impact that that may have on response times out in Wellesley,” he said.

“We’re probably the worst response times in the region right now and I think that any sort of improvement on that will be welcome.”

Besides that, he said he was also hoping additional funds would be available for roadwork in the township.

“Just looking at Wellesley Township, there’s a number of roads that should get some attention,” he said, giving as examples Lobsinger Line, Nafziger Road and parts of Queen’s Bush Road in Wellesley village.

“Those roads are going to have to be re-serviced or

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from last year’s budget.”

Seiling noted some of the areas of interest in the 2018 budget would be “some minor expansions, particularly in the area of social benefits, EMS, paramedics and transit.”

“We did focus mainly on public transit and paramedic services” at the October 24 meeting, elaborated chief financial officer Craig Dyer.

“They’re the two most significant service enhancements that are planned or that are proposed for 2018, so we spent a bit of time just reminding council of here’s what we did in 2017 – ‘Here were the service enhancements for both paramedic services and public transit, and here’s what’s going to come forward to you in November for your consideration for the 2018 budget,’” he explained.

With things still undecided, the public has a few options to voice their opinions to committee. Cheryl Braan, manager of budgets and performance measurement for the region, said that interested members of the public could register as delegates for the two public input meetings following the committee meetings on November 22 and December 5.

Besides that, members of the public can also submit a detailed survey online at www.engageregionofwaterloo.ca to offer their perspective. Final budget approval is set for December 13, and will take effect at the start of the new year.

posed for one spot, rather than being spread throughout the subdivision.

Also a concern, she noted, is parking. Already a problem, the minimal extra parking proposed for the denser units, and indeed the entire project, is likely to be insufficient by a wide margin, even if it meets planning requirements.

“If we keep doing the basic minimum, what’s our neighbourhood going to turn into?” asked MacKenzie.

As proposed, the apartment blocks – three fourstorey buildings of 55 units each – would not fit into the neighbourhood, having an adverse effect on property values, suggested neighbour Steve Racey.

He, too, expressed concerns about traffic, which he said is already a problem on Whippoorwill and Barnswallow drives.

“It is becoming a freeway,” he said. “We need stop signs.

We need some kind of traffic control to calm the traffic.”

A planner representing the developer, however, said the project represents “good planning” for a “complete neighbourhood” that makes good use of land that includes natural features such as a woodlot and trails.

“We believe there are a lot of benefits to this plan,” said Douglas Stewart of the IBI Group.

Additional residents will provide more customers for retail stores and other services in town, offering a wider diversity of housing and densities, he suggested, noting the project is the work of

A map shows the area slated for development, an area in the southwest of Elmira between Whippoorwill Drive and Listowel Road. [SUBMITTED] parking, lighting and snow a local developer who works removal. As with his neighwith local builders. bours, he noted traffic is Addressing the apart“already terrible” and only ment blocks, Stewart noted going to get worse with provincial rules set out growth. minimum densities that are As there’s no plan for dealhigher than in the past. New ing with the current traffic guidelines mean developissues, there should be no ments must provide mininew building until that probmum residential density of lem is rectified, he argued.

45 people and jobs per hectMonday night’s meeting are. This plan provides for a was for information purposdensity of 45 to 51, he said. es only, however, so many Apartments are required of the public’s questions to meet provincial rules, went unanswered at this it’s just a matter of where point, though they will be they’re situated, he added. addressed in the eventual The current proposed report from planning staff. location is Whippoorwill Likewise, councillors didn’t Drive because it’s an arteweigh in on the matter in rial road and the lot will be any robust way. at the intersection of a new Director of engineering collector road, Stewart explained, adding the location and planning Dan Kennaley noted staff would be was chosen for “good plantaking some time to review ning reasons.” submissions, including orResidents remained undering peer reviews of the convinced, however. applicants’ studies, before Mockingbird Drive resicoming back to council with dent Ben Hoogendoorn set a recommendation about out a long list of concerns, the proposed subdivision. including questions about

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THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Woolwich takes middle road on removal of tax-free portion of council salaries STEVE KANNON WOOLWICH COUNCILLORS WILL GET a small bump in pay starting in their next term to compensate for the elimination of the tax-free portion of their stipend.

Currently, a third of money paid to councillors goes untaxed, but the federal government has axed that provision effective Jan. 1, 2019. Meeting this week, Woolwich council opted for a modest increase in pay that will come into effect after next year’s municipal election.

Based on councillors being paid $17,924 this year, the compensatory move will add $1,498 to base pay, bringing it to $19,422.

For the mayor, the base pay of $ 30,554 will go to $33,108.

All told, the changes will cost the township an extra $12,526 in 2019, explained director of finance Richard Petherick.

That’s based on a calculation that uses a modest marginal tax rate as its guide. For councillors with other income that puts them in a higher bracket, the take-home pay is likely to go down, he noted.

Using the highest marginal tax rate, as the City of Kitchener just did in dealing with the same issue, would see expenses jump by $38,027, Petherick noted, adding the township has been keeping an eye on neighbouring municipalities. Wilmot Township, for instance, opted for the same middle ground, while Waterloo is still debating the issue at the committee level.

The middle road didn’t suit either Coun.

Patrick Merlihan or Coun. Larry Shantz, but for opposite reasons.

Merlihan argued future candidates might shy away if there is in effect a penalty due to the rule changes, while Shantz suggested there should be no increase at all, with future councillors simply taking the hit.

“I’m fighting to cut back on increases,” he said of his take on spending and taxes, arguing this would set an example.

While agreeing “to some extent” with his Ward 1 colleague Merlihan, Coun. Scott Hahn went with the increase recommended by staff.

“It’s a modest increase for what we do.”

In voting for the recommended increase, Coun. Mark Bauman said people running for council do so as a public service, so the small difference shouldn’t be an issue, while acknowledging that the federal government is taking away an incentive of sorts, essentially downloading another cost to the municipalities.

The middle-ground approach was approved 4-2 in a split vote.

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VOLUNTEERISM / GOOD WORK

There’s more than just goods on the block Plenty of goodwill on display at charity quilt auction that’s a major fundraiser for Elmira District Community Living The 44th Elmira Charity Quilt Auction held over the weekend raised more than $100,000 for Elmira District Community Living .

FAISAL ALI AN ELMIRA NON-PROFIT THAT provides services for residents with intellectual disabilities now has an additional $100,000 for its work thanks to last weekend’s charity quilt auction.

It’s the third straight year the popular event has topped six figures in its fundraising efforts for Elmira District Community Living (EDCL).

The auction has been a significant generator of funds for the organization for 44 years.

Final numbers from last weekend are still being tallied, but there was a strong turnout to bid on the dozens of quilts, furniture, homemade desserts, toys, and a wealth of other new and used items on offer, noted Elmer Brubacher, one of the organizers.

He said the effort relies on professional auctioneers, clerks and a host of other people volunteering their time to support EDCL. While the agency receives a baseline level of support for its work assisting people with intellectual disabilities and providing them housing, the organization has relied on the annual charity auction for years to augment its budget.

“We would be a mere shadow of ourselves without the work that the quilt auction does and the money that

it generates and provides,” said executive director Greg Bechard.

The money raised has gone towards the purchase of wheelchair-accessible vans, for instance, which Bechard explains isn’t covered by their government stipend. The vans are what let many of the people supported by EDCL get out into the community. Besides that, maintenance work on the EDCL’s group homes, are another expense not often covered by the government, he added.

“It assists with sending people to summer camp. The people we support live on a pension and so don’t have a lot of excess money, and so we assist people with camps,” said Bechard of the extras the money supports.

“We buy special equipment for our homes, lifting devices, specialty bathing equipment.

We do larger renovations, we put additions on some of our homes – and again, with no funding from the government of Ontario, so it enhances the quality of life for the people that we support.”

Bechard also emphasized that none of the money raised would go towards paying staff salaries – the beneficiaries of the charity are the EDCL tenants.

The auctioneering was spread out over two days, with the silent auction starting Fri-

[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER]

day. Also Friday evening was the BBQ beef brisket dinner, as well as an open market of home-made, locally grown foodstuffs.

The silent auction was set up mostly for miscellaneous items such as toys, sports equipment and other treasures, but keen eyes could also browse the 100 or so quilts up for live auction the following day, as well as the donated furniture.

Starting Saturday morning, the auctions began at the Elmira Produce Auction Cooperative, first with the general goods, then the furniture and, finally, the quilts themselves, which, it’s fair to say, were in high demand. Some of the quilts went for as high $1,450, said Brubacher.

Not to be outdone, the desserts pulled more than their fair share at the auction. In between each lot of quilts, a pie was up for auction just for a bit of fun, he said. That effort raised about $4,000.

“We had one pie that was redonated three times, so it was sold four times,” notes Brucbacher. “That pie probably sold for $1,200-$1,300 total.”

While the charity is held to raise funds for the EDCL, the event itself is organized by a small group of volunteers on an auction committee. Brubacher is the co-chair for this year’s committee, along with

his wife Mary, as is customary for the chairs. He has been involved in the EDCL’s work with the intellectually disabled for years.

“I guess my heart goes out to those people, and that’s the only thing that keeps us on this committee. That’s the only thing that keeps us on that chair. I guess we’re here to try and raise as many funds as we can,” he said before the event.

“About 20 years ago we got involved with helping out at this auction, and then I was selected to come on to the EDCL board. So I served on the board for six years for the EDCL, and in that time we were asked to come on to the committee.

“Two years ago, for the first time, we raised over $100,000 in about 24 hours,” he said, though noting that some cash donations were received before and after the event. That $100,000 figure was surpassed again last year, and the hope is to continue that trend.

For Bechard, the success of the auction is proof of the local community’s goodwill.

“The generosity and the hard work of the committee and the volunteers and the generosity of the community to support us historically and right through to today is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it in any community I’ve worked in,” he said.

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NEWS | 5

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Winterbourne residents seek conveyance Acting on a request from some Winterbourne residents, Woolwich will look into closing an unused road allowance in order to convey the land to the adjacent property owners.

Stephanie Martin and her Allan Street neighbour Marg Minister made their pitch to Woolwich councillors meeting Monday Night, asking for action on a portion of the former Stock Street – long unused and overgrown –

between their properties.

That stretch of land has a very steep grade and is unlikely to be ever used as a roadway, they argued, noting a similar conveyance was done some years ago on nearby Geddes Street.

In response to a question from Coun.

Larry Shantz, director of engineering and planning Dan Kennaley said the next step will be for planning staff to look at the request to decide if conveyance is advisable. At that point, the township would have to begin the formal process of declaring the land surplus before looking at selling the land to the residents.

He expects to come back with a

report for the December 12 meeting.

Woolwich eyes rec. rental fees Looking this week at both fee increases for recreation user groups and the subsidy it provides to youth sports, Woolwich council put off deliberations until later this month to allow the groups to provide input.

Staff is looking at a three per cent rate increase for 2018 after no changes were made this year. A report tabled at Monday night’s council meeting proposes a number of scenarios for the subsidy, from removing it to bumping

it up slightly to 35 per cent from the current 33.5.

In a brief discussion, councillors seemed more inclined to maintain or increase the discount given to minor sports groups, with hockey organizations being the most likely to feel the impact of any changes – ice rentals are by far the largest stream of revenue for township recreation facilities. Woolwich Minor Hockey, for instance, will pay about $300,000 in rental fees this year, noted director of recreation and facilities Ann McArthur.

The issue is expected to be discussed more fully at the November 21 council meeting.

Health awards Region of Waterloo Public Health last week announced the recipients of its Healthy Workplace Awards. The program recognizes and celebrates workplaces in Waterloo Region that demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the health of their employees.

This year’s recipients included BlackBerry Limited (gold award), Canada Revenue Agency (platinum award, CBA Canada (platinum ), Christie Digital Systems Canada (Platinum), City of Cambridge (gold ), D2L (platinum), Economical Insurance (platinum), Energy

+ Inc. (platinum), Equitable Life of Canada (platinum, Erb Group of Companies (platinum), Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan Inc. and Ontario Mutual Insurance Association (platinum), Flanagan Foodservice Inc. (gold), Home Hardware Stores Ltd. (gold), KEI (platinum), Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro (platinum), Paper Works/Boehmer Box (platinum), Parents for Community Living (platinum), Trinity Village (platinum), United Way Waterloo Region Communities (gold) and Waterloo North Hydro (platinum.

Last week’s presentation in Waterloo was the eighth annual awards celebration, held during National Healthy Workplace Month.

POLICE BLOTTER

Regional police launch firearms amnesty program for November WITH NOVEMBER’S ARRIVAL, WATERLOO Regional Police have again launched their firearms and prohibited weapons amnesty.

The program, which runs through to November 30, is an opportunity for community members to turn over unwanted or unlicensed firearms and other weapons that are potentially illegal to possess or that pose a safety risk in their homes or community, say police.

The program is an opportunity to properly dispose of these items without fear of prosecution for illegal possession.

The amnesty period is being repeated due to the success of similar programs held in 2014 and 2015. During these two program, officers collected a total of 301 firearms (shotguns, rifles, handguns), 117 pellet/BB/

imitation guns, 32 other weapons, 14,600 rounds of ammunition and six pieces of military ordnance “Having illegally owned firearms and prohibited weapons taken off the street is a benefit to our entire community,” said Supt. Patrick Dietrich.

“Many weapons we recover that are related to a crime are those that have been stolen from residences.

They end up in the hands of people who use them to commit a criminal activity.

Turning in these unwanted weapons will reduce this risk and, in turn, make our streets safer.”

Anyone wishing to submit items for destruction is asked to call (519) 570-9777 to make arrangements for an officer to pick up the items. Police ask that residents do not transport these items or deliver them to police facilities.

CE PEPTIDES ...

DRIVER CHARGED IN COLLISION

OCTOBER 28

A collision between a Honda Odyssey and a Mercedes panel van resulted in only minor injuries. The collision occurred Oct. 26 along Line 86 near the intersection of Powell Road, west of Elmira. Police charged one of the drivers with ‘fail to yield from private driveway.’ [FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER] OCTOBER 25

7:30 PM | A man driving a white Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with a crew cab went to the Esso gas bar on King Street in St. Jacobs, pumped a large amount of

Krista Sandelli OWNER/RMT

gasoline into the truck and drove away without making any attempt to pay. The suspect is described as a white male, approx. 20-30 years old, 5’8”-6’ tall wearing a tan-coloured hoodie, white shoes,

4:30 PM | A Wellington County OPP officer was monitoring traffic on County 21 just west of County 7 in the Township of Centre Wellington when he observed a male driving a black Dodge travelling at a speed that appeared to be well above the posted speed limit. The vehicle was locked on radar at 152 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. The driver of the Dodge continued on County 21 and failed to negotiate a turn onto County 7. He struck a light standard, causing significant damage to his vehicle. As a result, a 20-year-old Elora man has been charged with ‘race a motor vehicle,’ ‘operate a motor vehicle without insurance’ and ‘careless driving.’ He will appear in Guelph Provincial Court on December 20.

His driver’s licence and vehicle were seized for a period of seven days as per statute.

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6 | COMMENT

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

JOE MERLIHAN PUBLISHER STEVE KANNON EDITOR

COMMENT

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OUR VIEW / EDITORIAL

THE VIEW FROM HERE

Elmira project the latest example of growth’s perils UTOPIAN THINKING ABOUT HOW we live met with reality yet again this week, as residents of an Elmira neighbourhood turned up at council to voice their many concerns about a proposed new subdivision.

Much of the problem stems from ever-increasing density requirements forced on municipalities by a Toronto-centric provincial government. Policies that decrease lot sizes and demand higher density housing then exacerbate traffic and parking issues that are already getting worse, even in a small town like Elmira.

In grouping the homes more closely, planners achieve a number of goals: using less land, reducing the infrastructure (particularly water and sewer pipes) needed to service the homes and, ideally, reducing the need for cars.

But the densities don’t mesh well with existing neighbourhoods, a problem for which the province cares not one whit, leaving municipalities to deal with the fallout.

The suburbs of old have come under fire for the sprawl and isolation they represent. New thinking, endorsed and enforce by the province, calls for more integrated neighbourhoods where people can live, shop and work in close proximity, perhaps even doing so on foot or bicycle rather than depending on the personal automobile.

That remains something of an allusive dream in this area.

And price more than anything has dictated smaller lot sizes.

Most of us, it seems, still want a big lot and big house away from what we see as the downside of higher density urban living. But skyrocketing land prices and soaring taxes and charges on development have driven up costs such that 80and 100-foot frontages are beyond the means of many as house prices outstrip inflation and incomes.

As with public transit, higher densities and mixed communities are fine for the other guy.

In the ideal situation, the mixed developments proposed by developers offer many benefits. The pattern of sprawl we’ve seen in cities since the Second World War has come with many downsides.

Increasing numbers of automobiles are travelling over longer distances resulting in clogged transportation corridors, including those that provide access to border crossings. Traffic congestion and the delay in movement of goods costs Ontario billions of dollars in lost productivity.

Useful and efficient public transit is difficult to introduce into sprawling communities, and this limits the ability to respond effectively to growing traffic congestion issues.

Employment lands are being converted from their intended uses, thereby limiting future economic opportunities.

So-called green field development requires new infrastructure to be built to service lower-density areas, while existing infrastructure in the older parts of the cities remain underutilized – this is the impetus of the brownfield developments preferred in the Waterloo Region’s growth strategy.

Urban sprawl contributes to the degradation of our natural environment, air quality and water resources, as well as the consumption of agricultural lands and other natural resources so critical to the future economy.

Implementing those changes will be difficult, and it will take years to see results even if such plans are implemented here. We’ve seen some density shifts due to economics, but the remainder of the goals remain as yet unmet in this area.

As this week’s meeting showed, the fit isn’t always good, and will not be embraced easily. What remains to see is if resistance is futile.

Residents of an Elmira neighbourhood have a few suggestions about plans for increased density in a proposed new subdivision.

WORLD VIEW / GWYNNE DYER

Remaining silent has left the majority hanging in Catalonia WORLD AFFAIRS IT’S BEEN GOING ON for a while. “Recently in Catalonia we have been living through a kind of ‘soft’ totalitarianism … the illusion of unanimity created by the fear of expressing dissent,” wrote best-selling Catalan author Javier Cercas in the Spanish newspaper El Pais in 2014. Those who didn’t want independence kept their heads down and their mouths shut, in other words.

Three years later, it has just got worse. Last July, leading Catalan filmmaker Isabel Coixet told The Observer that “Madrid is deaf and mute and the government here (in Catalonia) is really happy about that.

They never really look for dialogue at all.” She added that Catalans are afraid of speaking out “for fear of being called fascists.”

That about sums it up.

Opinion polls consistently show that a majority of the people who live in Catalonia want it to remain part of Spain. The latest,

published in El Pais on Saturday, showed that 55 per cent of those polled opposed the declaration of independence in the Catalan parliament last week, with only 41 per cent in favour.

That’s an even more decisive rejection of separation from Spain than a poll commissioned by the Catalan government and published just before the declaration of independence, which came out 49-41 per cent in favour of remaining in Spain. Yet the news coverage was all about flagwaving nationalist crowds demanding independence, because the silent majority was staying low.

Finally, on Sunday, a big pro-Spanish crowd came out in the streets of Barcelona: 300,000 people according to the police, more than a million according to the organizers.

About the same size as the pro-independence crowds, therefore, but they left it rather late. The separatist strategy has worked well, and by now the fat is really in the fire.

The separatists’ problem was this: no opinion poll has ever shown a majority

for independence since the current upsurge in Catalan nationalism began about eight years ago. For the past few years the ‘yes’ vote has been stuck at around 40 per cent. You can hardly declare independence for the region without a vote of some kind, so what do you do?

A referendum is better than an election, because it’s a single-issue vote that will really get the faithful out. But how do you prevent the more numerous sceptics from voting too?

Well, the Spanish constitution is a great help there, because it says that a referendum on independence for any of Spain’s regions would be illegal. So if you hold one, maybe the true nationalists will vote despite the law, while the rest obey the law and stay away.

They road-tested this model three years ago with an ‘advisory’ referendum that the Madrid government sort of tolerated (though it said it was illegal), and it worked just fine. Only 37 per cent of the population voted, but 80 per cent of those who did show up voted ‘yes’ to independence

That’s the kind of number you could really use to justify declaring independence, even if it’s a bit of a cheat. If anybody complains, just shrug your shoulders, say you wish the turnout had been higher, and carry on doing what you want to do: declaring independence. And so it came to pass.

The independence referendum on October 1 was the real thing, not ‘advisory’ at all. Rather late in the day Spanish Prime Minister Maria Rajoy realized that the independentistas intended to use the result as a justification for a declaration of independence, so he got a court judgement confirming that the referendum was illegal and sent the police in to shut it down.

The Catalan nationalists had foreseen this, and welcomed it. Nothing could be better for the cause than images of Spanish police dragging women out of polling booths, and the uproar would keep even the hardiest ‘no’ voters away.

The turnout this time was a bit higher, at 43 per cent, and so was the ‘yes’ vote: 90 DYER | 8

COMMENT | 7

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

THEIR VIEW / QUESTION OF THE WEEK

If you could have one super power, what would it be?

» Evan Passmore

» Mary Arjune

» Sam Ratcliffe

» Michael Gear

» Evan Worke

“Invisiblity and super speed.”

“Invisibillity and super strength.”

“Controling the weather.”

“Being really good at hockey.”

“Telepportation.”

“We all know decriminalization is a big money grab for government coffers at the expense of the health of our young people...” Carol Mary Awrey | 8 HIS VIEW / STEVE KANNON

The older we get, the less we want to make like Humpty Dumpty EDITOR'S NOTES “I’VE FALLEN AND I can’t get up.”

From cheesy commercial (first aired in 1989 by a company called LifeCall) to fodder for comedians and pop-culture reference (i.e. “I’ve fallen and I can’t reach my beer”), the phrase has at its root a very real issue for older adults.

Falls are the leading cause of death and hospitalization in Canada for seniors, with some 20 to 30 per cent suffering a fall each year, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

That reality fuels research by University of Waterloo kinesiology professor Michael BarnettCowan. In a new study, he found that it takes seniors twice as long to realize they’re falling by comparison to younger adults – it’s a matter of milliseconds, but it can make a big difference.

Younger adults perceive that they’re falling quicker

than do older adults – 44 milliseconds versus 88.

“That doesn’t seem like much time, but by that time, you’ve basically already fallen,” says BarnettCowan of the longer timeframe.

To measure fall perception, researchers presented study participants with a sound at different times relative to a supervised fall. They found that young adults required the fall to happen about 44 milliseconds before the sound in order for both cues to be perceived as occurring simultaneously. But adults over 60 years old required fall onset to occur about 88 milliseconds before the sound.

“This lag means that by the time older adults realize they are falling, it’s often too late for them to consciously do anything about it. Given that falls are often the catalyst for a transition to long-term care, these findings highlight both the importance of adequate assessment for older adults and the need to expedite new prevention technology.”

As a rule, he says, people

HOW TO REACH US

component in dealing with the health care of an aging population, along with the associated rising costs.

“Falls are costly. And as we’re reminded with winter’s coming, there’s definitely a need to deal with this,” Barnett-Cowan notes.

While his new take on research into falls is still in the early stages, BarnettCowan sees this kind of testing being used to help predict which older adults are more like to have a problem. Future research may incorporate people who have a history of falls as a way of determining the usefulness of fall perception as a tool.

To further his research, he’ll be looking to collaborate with others, such as doctors who deal firsthand with these issues.

“Is this potentially an early detection tool to identify the people before the fall even happens?” he posits.

Finding those answers is where further research comes into play.

Fall prevention has been a strategy for years, particularly centered on improving the reflexes and sense

of balance in older adults.

There’s also the issue of bone health, as falls and broken bones are a common pair – the cliché-like broken hip, for instance.

As well as identifying at-risk individuals, the research could lead to wearable fall prevention technology or perhaps even pharmaceutical approaches to enhancing the brain’s ability to cope with falling.

“Falling threatens one’s survival,” says BarnettCowan. “When the nervous system’s ability to detect a fall and compensate with protective reflexes diminishes, the risk of injury or death increases significantly.”

The concept of wearable technology – an extension, one would think, of the kinds of so-called smart clothing already touted – would have to be mindful of some seniors’ aversion to outward signs of aging and dependence on, say, canes and walkers.

I’m pretty sure my image of one day wandering around outfitted in one of those giant sumo wrestling suits or maybe hockey gear

to protect myself from a fall isn’t what researchers have in mind, though maybe some knight’s armour would be cooler. There are some real concerns, as Barnett-Cowan notes there are social issues such as pride involved in some older adults choosing not to use support such as canes and walkers.

There’s also a quality of life issue in the mix, as some people who know they have balance issues could be choosing to stay home rather than be seen using assistance out in the world.

“We want to empower people with as much information as possible,” he notes.

To come up with the kind of information that will be useful in our aging society, he and his colleagues will be looking at older adult brains for cues and clues.

In the meantime, November is fall prevention month, with an array of health care practitioners warning about the dangers of falls, recommending ways to lessen the risk and KANNON | 8

PHONE 519.669.5790 | TOLL FREE 1.888.966.5942 | FAX 519.669.5753 | ONLINE WWW.OBSERVERXTRA.COM

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don’t have a good recollection of a fall – one instant they’re upright, then next they’re on the ground wondering what the heck happened. His research aims to determine how the brain interprets information about falling and falls.

Statistically, older people are more likely to fall, making the research more pressing to an aging society. Along with the impact of hospitalization and even death, falls come with a price tag estimated at $6 billion a year. Seniors who are hospitalized for a fall remain in hospital an average of nine days longer than those hospitalized for any other cause.

According to the Ontario Injury Prevention Research Centre, the province sees some 100,000 emergency room visits by seniors (65plus) each year, resulting in 20,000 hospital admissions and $1 billion in direct costs. Some 2,000 die as a result of falls in any given year. The most common type of fall injury involves slips and trips, falls on stairs and falls from furniture.

Fall prevention is a key

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8 | COMMENT

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

THE MONITOR

VERBATIM

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

Sugar consumption in the nation fell by 2.5 million kilograms between 2015 and 2016, with health officials looking to reach 10 million kg by 2020, as sugar is a major fact in type 2 diabetes, obesity and a host of health issues.

“Across Ontario municipal costs are already rising at about $1 billion per year, often driven by provincial laws and this is a textbook example. If they don’t amend the bill, municipalities will be forced to either greatly increase property taxes, reduce local services – or both.”

xCPAC members are celebrating a small victory after the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) agreed to oversee the construction of a new water-treatment plant in Elmira. The MOE will take action to ensure the construction of an ammonia treatment plant begins by the spring of 2003, ministry engineer Steve Martindale told members of the Crompton Public Advisory Committee.

» Diabetes Canada

» Association of Municipalities of Ontario president Lynn Dollin advocates for

» From the Nov. 2, 2002 edition of The Observer

changes to the province’s so-called fair wage legislation

DYER: Crafty approach sets the

NATIONAL VIEW

stage for a Catalan Republic

FROM | 6

per cent. Very gratifying.

With that manipulated result in hand, the president of Catalonia’s regional government, nationalist leader Carles Puigdemont, declared independence last week. The Spanish central government immediately dissolved the regional parliament, removed Puigedemont and his cabinet from office, and announced a fresh regional election for December 21.

It’s all strictly in accord with Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, and Puigdemont probably fore-

saw this too. He has always been three moves ahead of Madrid. Meanwhile, Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria now has the job of running Catalonia until the election, and she will probably have a very difficult time.

Puigdemont is now officially a martyr in the eyes of his fellow separatists, and Spain says that he will be allowed to run in the December election, so he has lost nothing. Unless the silent majority find their voices, he may yet be the first president of the Catalan Republic.

KANNON: Risks come with age FROM | 7

tips for improving overall health and balance, the key to reducing the number of falls.

Given that we’re living longer, there are a number of age-related health

When “That will never happen to me” happens.

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YOUR VIEW / LETTER

Money shouldn’t come at the expense of our youth To the Editor, Re: Opioid crisis (Editor’s Note, Observer, Oct. 19/17) FINALLY SOMEONE’S GOT IT right. We all know decriminalization is a big money grab for government coffers at the expense of the health of our young people and the not so young.

Some of us are old enough to remember the Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev taking his shoe off and hammering the table with it at the United Nations and hollering, “We will take your nation without firing a shot.” He was referring to the youth of both Canada and the United States, being con-

issues that are becoming more prevalent. And none of us is getting any younger – if it’s not an issue for you today, it will be eventually.

“It’s one more excuse to get back the gym,” laughs Barnett-Cowan. taminated, mentally and physically, by drugs.

One can only imagine the cost to the health care system that drug addiction will bring upon us.

I presented Members of Parliament with some 300 letters expressing the suffering families were enduring over drug addiction of their loved ones about 40 years ago. I would also like to state that the decriminalization of marijuana was shelved 40 years ago by government officials with strong family values.

I do not believe the money added to the coffers will be worth the price that we will most certainly have to pay for the mental and physical destruction of our youth. Do you?

Thank you for showing us your strong and truthful values in this drug situation.

CAROL MARY AWREY | ST CLEMENTS

SPORTS | 9

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

SPORTS HOCKEY / OSHA

Woolwich sledge hockey team plays its first rep. league game Last weekend’s home-opener added a new dimension to organization that is growing in popularity FAISAL ALI

Perfectly good reasons the thermos is unused OPEN COUNTRY

“He absolutely loves the game,” said McCarthy, who is often involved as his son’s pusher on the ice, helping him move around the rink. “He’s always wanted ... to be a part of a team, and there’s not very many opportunities. He’s in a wheelchair full-time, so this gives him an opportunity to be a part of a team, to do all the events,” he explained.

The parents note that the team is the biggest it’s ever been this year, and is only

AMONG THE MULTITUDE OF outdoor tools I have but never use is a very nice thermos. I figure this is the way it is for most outdoorsmen. Thermoses are great in theory.

Every hunter buys one with the best intentions.

The hunter fantasizes about sitting on a deer stand on a frigid November day and reaching into his or her backpack, and silently pulling out a thermos full of steaming hot coffee or a hearty chicken noodle soup.

In that fantasy, the keen hunter silently consumes the warm contents of the thermos and is suddenly revitalized and comforted again. This simple act allows him or her to stay out for a while longer, until that 18-point buck tries to sneak by. Luckily, once frigid hands are now warmed enough to deftly handle a rifle and deliver a deadly shot that drops the animal on the spot. All this success can be attributed to the new thermos.

The reality is a bit different, however. It goes something like this.

The hunter reaches for the new thermos, opens it

THRASHERS | 11

GALEA | 10

The Woolwich Sledge Hockey organization and the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre each received $5,000 this year from the Waterloo County Steam-Threshers’ Reunion at the hockey team’s home-opener Saturday at the WMC. [FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER]

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hockey. It’s typical Canadians. There might be a disability involved but they just want to do the same as everybody else. They want to play hockey.”

It’s a lot of travel to play in a league and a lot of work, but for the parents of 12-year-old Thrasher Nate McCarthy, it is entirely worth it. Nate has been on the team for about six or seven years now, and his parents John McCarthy and Elaine Browne have been routinely bringing their son from outside the township to participate.

Ar

ing to improve and get a lot better as the season goes on.”

Indeed, watching the game on Saturday, the air was electric as parents enthusiastically cheered and hollered and groaned with every shot, and kids excitedly dashed across the ice after the puck.

“There is a lot of passion,” noted Sandy Metzger who, along with her husband, started the sledge hockey organization in Woolwich. “The kids ... and adults, everybody’s very passionate about their

r St

competitive sports team and everything from the long-distance travel to the stronger competition will take some getting used to.

“Some of the parents don’t know a lot about being a hockey mum or dad, to do the traveling and all that, so it’s going to be a new experience for them also,” said Metzger.

“And Saturday I think the kids were really pumped up and excited to play. I think they were just a little bit nervous during the game, and I think they’ll settle down. I’m sure they’re go-

W al ke

IT WAS AN EXCITING weekend for the junior Woolwich Thrashers, as the local sledge hockey team competed in its first ever rep. league game. The team held their homeopener and first game of the season Saturday against the visiting Windsor Ice Bullets. And though the Thrashers ultimately fell 3-0, the game was nonetheless a huge milestone for the young team.

“We’ve been working towards [playing in the league] since we started,” said head coach Keith Metzger. “This is our ninth season and it’s pretty exciting for the players and parents.”

The Woolwich Sledge Hockey (WSH) organization has been giving children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to participate in recreational sports in the township for almost a decade now. But this year was the first the WSH had enough dedicated players to compete in the Ontario Sledge Hockey Association (OSHA) development league.

The league places the team of under 16-year-olds in the Western division, to face off against teams as far away as Windsor, London and even Buffalo, NY. For many players, their parents and even the coach, playing in the league is an entirely new experience.

Most have never had the chance to participate in a

NOT SO GREAT OUTDOORSMAN / STEVE GALEA

Wy

E L M IR A att

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10 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

GALEA: Many hunters learn the laws of thermos-dynamics, and it’s usually the hard way FROM | 9

and takes a sip and quickly learns the coffee within was hot enough to melt the tiles off of a space shuttle.

He yelps loudly, then hears hoof beats and looks up to see the biggest buck he’s ever seen leaping over the rise. This causes him to fumble for his rifle and spill hot coffee all over his lap.

He dances and screams

and curses so that several more deer and three grouse flush.

Then, he learns the first rule of thermos thermodynamics.

Coffee that was scalding hot when it landed on your lap suddenly goes ice cold when confronted by a frigid north wind and the passage of three seconds.

He then spends the remaining time on the stand, alternately freezing

and feeling the effects of a minor burn. Worse still, when he gets back to camp, everyone quietly assumes that his soaking wet lap is the result of a close encounter with a bear.

But enough about the good side of thermos ownership.

What thermos enthusiasts never divulge is that they lost their taste buds long ago in a horrible winter pole-licking accident.

For, if they had taste buds, they would never enjoy consuming anything from a thermos.

That’s because everything that comes out of a thermos tastes like coffee – unless you filled it with chicken noodle soup first.

In that case it tastes like chicken noodle soup.

There is a firm scientific basis for why a thermos either tastes like coffee of chicken noodle soup. It

is because when an optimistic hunter first buys a thermos, he fills it up to the brim with either one or the other. And, because the amount it takes to fill a normal thermos is more than the average person can consume over three days he heads home with a nearly full thermos. Which would be great, if he did not discover this on the morning of the next hunt, five days later.

And, even then, the only reason why a hunter even reaches for a thermos at that point is because there are strange sounds emanating from it, which, not to worry, are merely the sound of new developing life-forms.

Don’t worry, though – even if they escape, they won’t survive. You see, they probably taste like coffee or chicken noodle soup too.

HOCKEY / JUNIOR C

Jacks earn two convincing wins over the weekend Team led from the get-go in 6-2 victory against visiting Delhi, but had to overcome slow start to beat New Hamburg 5-2 FAISAL ALI THE APPLEJACKS WEREN’T GRACIOUS hosts last weekend, but the fans were more than happy to see back-to-back wins, first over Delhi then New Hamburg.

The Travellers fell 6-2 on Friday night, with the Firebirds going home as 5-2 losers the following evening.

On October 27, the Jacks opened the scoring within the first three minutes and never looked back. An early Delhi penalty allowed Corey Restoule to score on the power play, with Nick Mercier and Nicholas Bigioni lending the assist.

From there, less than a minute later, Thomas Azzano (Kyle Soper, Brady Gerber) potted the team’s second goal of the match.

The scoreboard hit 2-0 just four minutes ten seconds

into the first frame.

“I felt like we played OK tonight. It was definitely not our best game but it’s nice to always come out with the two points, for sure,” said Applejack Reade MacInnis after the game.

Delhi got one back a couple of minutes later to pull to within one, which is where things sat for much of the period as the two teams settled into a rhythm before Nicholas Bigioni (Alex Uttley, Shaun Pickering) scored in the final few minutes to make it 3-1 going into the break.

For the next 20 minutes of play, the Jacks dominated on the ice if not on the board. They threw 17 shots at the Travellers, scoring once on the power play – Uttley, from MacInnis and Trent Lamarche – while allowing the visitors just three shots of their own.

Entering the final frame

up 4-1, the Jacks pressed their attack with two more goals within a minute. MacInnis (Uttley, Pickering) placed the puck in the net at 4:01, and Zach Ribeiro (Soper, Kyle Fischer) followed at 5:04.

Delhi got one back on the power play, but the outcome was never in doubt at that point. The final was 6-2.

“We scored on our opportunities tonight, but we obviously need to tighten up our own end and some neutral zone play. I think the effort was there, we just got a little sloppy at times,” said assistant coach Brock Gerber after the game.

JACKS | 12

Applejacks Garrett Schultz (inset) and Nicholas Bigioni in game action against Delhi Friday night.

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[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER]

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SPORTS | 11

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

The Woolwich Thrashers played their first-ever league game on Saturday against the visiting Windsor Ice Bullets.

[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER]

SPECIALS & DOOR PRIZES!

THRASHERS: Drawing players from a wide area FROM | 9

getting more popular. “[It’s] amazing, since last year, a lot of people have joined, so the word’s getting out. There’s a big need for this,” added Browne.

“We come all the way from Cambridge to play because you have to go to where it is, so lots of people who don’t necessarily live in Elmira benefit from having this team here, and the kids really look forward to it.”

For Nate, they say, the sledge hockey team has been a way for him to be like other kids and do the things that they do and share those experiences.

“You talk to your neighbours, and all the kids,

they’re on travel teams or they have to go to certain places to play other teams, and we’ve never had that opportunity. And now it’s here for us,” said McCarthy.

“Because even though our child has a disability, he’s a kid,” added Browne.

“He wants to have fun, he wants to play games so this is pretty exciting.

Because otherwise he goes to school, and he hears all the other kids talking about how they play hockey and they go skiing or whatever.

And now, because of groups like this, he can do all those things.”

Right now, the Woolwich Thrashers are playing in the OSHA development league; while the league doesn’t have any specified

age-restrictions, it’s geared towards novice players.

The next milestone for the Woolwich Thrashers, said Keith Metzger, is to participate in the intermediate league, which is typically reserved for players 16 and over with more advanced skills in the game.

Metzger says he hopes as the younger Thrashers grow older, they will eventually have enough players to begin playing in the more senior league.

For now, however, the junior team will be travelling all over the map in the next few months, representing Woolwich in the sport of sledge hockey. The next home game will be just over a month from now, on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. in Elmira.

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12 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

JACKS: Team back at home Saturday night to face Norwich FROM | 10

“Obviously, getting the win was a good thing. I thought the guys played three good periods, stuck with what we talk about, stuck with the program, and played the game the way we wanted,” said head coach Brad Gerber.

“We stayed with it. We played a patient, patient game, so things worked out” Going into Saturday’s with a big “W” in the weekend’s books, the Jacks were able to double down on the successes of the previous night. While they blew away the competition, it could have easily gone the other way with the New Hamburg Firebirds running with the lead for the first half of the game.

Nine minutes into the opening stanza, New Hamburg drew first blood on the power play in what would be the only point of the period. It was a bad start for Wellesley that only got worse as the second period opened, with the Firebirds potting their second at 6:29.

Trailing 2-0 halfway through the game, the Jacks went on the offensive in what would be a stunning about-face. Mercier potted the team’s first marker, Uttley and Pickering providing the assists.

Thirty seconds later, the trio scored yet again, with Mercier taking point.

Then, not even ten seconds later, Restoule picked up an unassisted goal.

In the span of 44 seconds, the Jacks turned the game upside down by taking a 3-2 lead.

“The game turned around pretty quick,” said head coach Gerber. “We kept saying, ‘just keep working hard, eventually it’s going to happen. Once we get one, we’ll get another one.’ I never expected to get three that quick but it’s always nice – it really lifted us and the guys played with a lot more confidence once we got those three goals.”

Buoyed by the dramatic turn of events, the team pushed the attack while shutting down their opponents for the rest of the match.

Kyle Soper contributed two assists against the Delhi Travellers Friday night as the Jacks won 6-2.

[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER] At 18:11, Pickering (Lamarche, Uttley) took it to the net for yet another goal, closing the frame 4-2 in favour of the Jacks. The third was a little less spectacular, but with three minutes left on the clock, Wellesley got one last goal with Uttley (Fischer) sweeping the puck into an empty net, ending the game at 5-2.

Even with the two wins, the Applejacks (7-6) are currently sitting in fifth place in the standings, a comfortable distance ahead of Norwich (5-8-1), but several paces back of Paris (10-4-0-1).

The next two games will see the Jacks first back on the road for a late evening match up today (Nov. 2)

against the first-place Ayr Centennials (14-2).

“Obviously they’re the two-time Schmalz Cup champions so it’s always fun to play those guys,” said Gerber.

“We’re going to have to bring our good game.

We’re going to have to work hard and stay disciplined.

I mean their power play always seems to hurt us every time we play them.

So if we can stay out of the penalty box, I believe if we play 5-on-5, we can play with them. But, yeah, we have to stay disciplined and stay away from the penalty troubles,” he said.

The Jacks are home on Saturday night to take on the Norwich Merchants.

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The Elmira Curling Club held its second annual bonspiel Saturday, pulling in eight U15 teams from the likes of Oshawa and London. While held as a tournament, the bonspiel places an emphasis on developing skills over competition, explained club coach Glen Paulley, with a clinic portion teaching the finer points of curling.

[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER]

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SPORTS | 13

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

HOCKEY / JUNIOR B

Another split pair of games for the Kings Some resilience on display as Elmira puts loss in Brantford behind them to win convincingly at home against Dutchmen FAISAL ALI

“Listowel’s going to be tough, they always are,” said Brown. “They’re an excellent team. They’re on top, so we’re shooting for them. We’re going to have a good week of practices here coming off a big win against Kitchener at home, and just hoping to keep that speed, that pace.”

The Kings return home Sunday night to take on the Brampton Bombers (6-9).

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The Kings stole the show at this Sunday’s home game against the Kitchener Dutchmen, skating to a 5-1 victory.

[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER]

them back in the lead 3-2. It was a narrow lead, but just a minute later, the 99ers potted what would prove to be the game-winner.

Down by two, the Kings made it close on a goal by Kurtis Goodwin (Cameron, McBay) before opting to pull netminder Rhett Kimmel with two minutes to go.

It was no good, however, as Brantford scored the empty-netter to seal the 5-3 win.

It was a different story a few days later, as Elmira scored early and often in a Sunday win over the visiting Kitchener Dutchmen.

It turned out to be a chippy affair, with a 17 offenses called, including four misconduts.

“I thought it was a great game for us. It was an excellent bounce-back game after a not-so-good showing against Brantford. We got to how we want to play with speed and with intensity; that was a great game

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The tone of the match was set from the get-go, with Kitchener receiving a warm-up violation going in. Then, just four minutes into the first frame, the team was hit with a boarding violation, with more penalties on both sides following.

Ryan Takamatsu got things rolling on the scoreboard at 4:32, scoring the first of what would be a natural hat trick on the power play. Harrison Toms and Cameron drew the assists.

He picked up his second less than five minutes later (Matt Murray, Goodwin).

The intermission didn’t slow Takamatsu, who landed the third at 6:11 (Toms, Cameron). It was the only Elmira goal of the middle frame, but Tyler Mazzocato’s shutout bid was ended just seconds before the buzzer. The teams went

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HOME COOKING DID THE trick, as the Sugar Kings rebounded from a 5-3 loss in Brantford October 26 to post a 5-1 victory over the visiting Kitchener Dutchmen last Sunday.

The loss on the road was disappointing, as the Kings had skated to an 8-4 win the last time they met the 99ers. After a back-andforth start, the Kings let the wheels come off later in the game.

“We definitely didn’t start the game on time. We didn’t show up the way that we can, unfortunately. That’s something that we have to work on is our consistency in showing up,” said head coach Trent Brown about Thursday’s game.

The opening period was a hard-fought affair, with neither side ceding much ice, though the home team had a decisive edge in shots, 14-6. It wasn’t until there was less than five minutes to go in the frame that anyone managed to score. Unfortunately for Elmira, it was the 99ers who did so.

Opening the second down 1-0, the Kings worked quickly to close the gap with Jeff Jordan (Zack Cameron, Tyler McBay) burying on just 2:40 in to knot up the score. At 9:20, Matt Mackay potted Elmira’ second on the power play, this time with Jordan and Keanan Stewart picking up assists.

Finding themselves with a 2-1 lead, the Kings couldn’t hang on through the period. A penalty at 16:41 proved to be just the tonic for Brantford, who scored on the ensuing power play. It was 2-2 after 40 minutes.

It was anyone’s game going into the third as both teams pushed to break the deadlock. The first signs of disaster struck at the 7-minute mark when Brantford scored, placing

The Kings are on the road in Listowel Friday night to take on the Cyclones, the team sitting in first place with a record of 14-3. At 9-8, the Kings are currently in third place behind Stratford (13-2).

“We got a tough one next Friday against Listowel, and we’ve had some trouble with them this year, but hopefully we can come back and give them a good game on Friday,” said Takamatsu.

back to the room with Elmira up 3-1.

“He was playing great, said Brown about Takamatsu. “He was flying, he was putting the pucks on net and I give credit to our defense to get that puck up to him, and his linemates getting him the puck.”

Coming back out for the third, the Kings had no intention of letting off the throttle, scoring twice.

At 6:29, Mason McMahon (Goodwin) potted the team’s fourth. Finally, with three minutes to go and Kitchener’s net empty, Jordan ran the puck down the ice for the final point of the match. McBay got the assist. “[The game went] pretty well, and we had a pretty strong start and that obviously leads into a good second and third. I was happy with our team’s effort there,” said Takamatsu, speaking after the game.

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14 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

THE SCORE

SILVER MEDAL FOR THE WILD ATOM B’S

GETTING GOLDEN IN ANCASTER

The Woolwich Wild Atom B took the silver medal at the Mitchell tournament Oct. 20-22. Ella Hicks scored the only goal against the Mitchell goalie in the whole tournament in the final game. Front row: Ella Hicks, Brooklyn Pope, Julia Adams, Samantha Weber, Autumn Sabila, Payton Gaudet. Middle row: Sarah Montgomery, Alexa Grundy, Brookelyn Kroetsch, Nora Hanley, Kayleigh Futher, Addison Fitzgerald, Grace Gow. Back row: Tracy Kroetsch (trainer), Kyle Grundy (coach), Craig Hanley (asst. coach), Nick Pope (asst. coach), Geoff Gaudet (asst.

The Woolwich Wild PeeWee BB team at the Ancaster Fall Shootout Tournament, Oct. 29. Front: Gwyneth Martin. Second row: Madi Martin, Kaitlyn Hyatt, Chloe Hislop, Kayla Shantz, Paige Woods, Tiana Bender. Third row: Claire Jacklin, Taylor Schmitt, Keely Franklin, Amy Dueck, Ayla Brubacher, Brooke Rempel, Eadyn Meier. Back row: coaches Jamie Hislop, Steve Martin, Nathan Woods. [SUBMITTED]

WOOLWICH WILDCATS

Novice: LL #2 Oct 21 vs Ayr Home: 2 Visitor: 2 Goals: Zion Shadd, Grant Rintoul Assists: Maddox Medeiros, Jackson Wolfe

Novice: LL #2 Oct 28 vs HESPELER Home: 3 Visitor: 9 Goals: Grant Rintoul, Zion Shadd (2) Assists: Jackson Wolfe, Jaden Zhou, Aiden Basler

Novice: LL #2 Oct 29 vs HESPELER Home: 5 Visitor: 7 Goals: Grant Rintoul (3), Zion Shadd (2) Assists: Aiden Basler, Cooper Jones

Novice: MAJOR Oct 25 vs Ancaster Home: 2 Visitor: 0 Goals: Zack Forwell(2) Assists: Nolan Martin(2), Liam Straus Shutouts: Cohen Hamburger/Cohen Patterson

Novice: MAJOR Oct 28 vs Dundas Home: 5 Visitor: 0 Goals: Cruz Balog Assists: Cruz Balog, Lucas Frey, Colton Brito, Nolan Martin, Evan Hall Shutouts: Cohen Patterson/ Cohen Hamburger

Novice: MAJOR

Atom: MAJOR AE

Oct 29 vs Woolwich OR Centre Wellington Home: 8 Visitor: 1 Goals: Liam Straus, Evan Hall, Nolan Martin(2), Cameron Fisher, Lucas Frey(2), Zack Forwell Assists: Lucas Frey, Reese Martin(2), Zack Forwell(2), Liam Straus, Mason Gear, Colton Brito(2)

Oct 28 vs Caledon Home: 3 Visitor: 1 Goals: Nate Dyck Assists: Patrick McCarthy

Novice: LL#1 Oct 29 vs Plattsville Rage #2 Home: 6 Visitor: 2 Goals: Tyler Bauman, Oliver Horn, Max Staines, Josh Wraight(3) Assists: Ryder Bauman, Josh Wraight

Novice: TYKE MD Oct 28 vs Milton Home: 4 Visitor: 2 Goals: Cody Paquet (1), Owen Porter (2), Carter Crane (1) Assists: Kolten Noot (1), Cody Paquet (1), Kitson Bakker (1), Jack Wood (2)

Novice: TYKE MD Oct 29 vs Halton Hills Thunder Home: 6 Visitor: 1 Goals: Owen Porter (2), Carter Crane (2), Kolten Noot (1), Bryce McFadden (1) Assists: Sullivan Shantz (1), Owen Porter (1), Liam MacGregor (1), Carson Kellough (1), Carter Crane (1), Kolten Noot (1), Bryce McFadden (1)

Atom: MAJOR AE Oct 29 vs Flamborough Home: 3 Visitor: 2 Goals: Tyler Gingrich, Gavin Sager, Carter Snider Assists: Nate Dyck, Patrick McCarthy, Haiden Wagner, Bryson Rozema

Atom: LL#2 Oct 21 vs Ayr Home: 2 Visitor: 4 Goals: Alex Hiller, Tommy Madison

Atom: LL#2 Oct 29 vs Hespler Home: 4 Visitor: 7 Goals: Alex Hiller (3), Tommy Madison

Atom: MAJOR A Oct 25 vs Milton Winterhawks Home: 6 Visitor: 3 Goals: Brandon Fishman x2, Brandon Fishman (2), Josh Carson (2), Connor Goebel, Riley Dettweiler Assists: Riley Dettweiler, Josh Carson (2), Evan Woods, Connor Goebel, Ethan Burkholder

Atom: MAJOR A Oct 28 vs Guelph Gryphons Home: 7 Visitor: 3 Goals: Ethan Burkholder (2), Evan Woods (2), Connor Goebel, Danny Schaefer, Josh Carson Assists: Drew Snyder, Connor Goebel, Josh

Carson, Ethan Burkholder, Karsten Smith, Jakob Noot, Keaten Kidd, Owen Weppler

Atom: MAJOR A Oct 29 vs Milton Winterhawks Home: 3 Visitor: 0 Goals: Josh Carson, Ethan Burkholder, Danny Schaefer Assists: Ethan Burkholder, Connor Goebel (2), Brandon Fishman Shutouts: Ayden Schaap

PeeWee: LL#1 Oct 28 vs Plattsville Rage Home: 4 Visitor: 1 Goals: Preston Hackert (2), Daniel Grant, Jake Patterson Assists: Zachary Snider

PeeWee: AE Oct 27 vs Woolwich OR Halton Hills Home: 2 Visitor: 6 Goals: Riley Snider, Owen Brown Assists: Jonathan Enns, Ben Wilkie, Evan Lucier

Bantam: LL#3 Oct 22 vs Hespeler 1 Home: 5 Visitor: 1 Goals: Seb Garrett (2), Griffin Goodfellow, Simon Shantz, Tristan Kraemer Assists: Nolan Balzan, Seb Garrett

Bantam: LL#3 Oct 27 vs Hespeler 2 Home: 12 Visitor: 0 Goals: Ashton Weber (3), Seb Garrett (2), Cole Brubacher (2), Griffin Goodfellow, Simon Shantz,

Owen Hackert, Nolan Balzan, Tristan Kraemer Assists: Seb Garrett (3), Jon Staken (2), Cole Brubacher (2), Logan Frey (2), Ashton Weber, Owen Hackert, Simon Shantz, Andrew Buehler Shutouts: Simon Bauman

Bantam: LL#3 Oct 28 vs Embro Home: 7 Visitor: 3 Goals: Seb Garrett (3), Logan Frey, Liam Hunter, Cole Brubacher, Simon Shantz Assists: Jon Horst (2), Ashton Weber, Nolan Balzan, Seb Garrett, Jon Staken, Logan Frey

Bantam: AE Oct 18 vs Centre Wellington Fusion Home: 3 Visitor: 1 Goals: Colton Schmitt, Cole Slade, Teagan Cadeau Assists: Shelby Rempel, Nolan Williamson, Teagan Cadeau

Bantam: AE Oct 28 vs Halton Hills Thunder Home: 4 Visitor: 8 Goals: Zack Bender (3), Lucas Radler Assists: Lucas Radler, Shelby Rempel, Andrew Weber (2), Patrick Perry

Bantam: LL2 Oct 06 vs EMBRO Home: 1 Visitor: 5 Goals: Josh Moore Bantam: LL2 Oct 14 vs NEW HAMBURG Home: 1 Visitor: 4

Goals: Josh Moore Assists: Braxton Breen, Logan Beard

Bantam: LL2 Oct 20 vs EMBRO Home: 9 Visitor: 4 Goals: Thomas Hill-Ring (2), Braxton Breen, Michael Wang (2), Josh Moore (2), Ethan Murr, Will McDougall Assists: Logan Beard, Will McDougal, Thomas HillRing, Ryan Curtis, Michael Wang, Zach McMurray, Daniel Kelly, Braxton Breen

Bantam: LL2 Oct 15 vs NEW HAMBURG Home: 1 Visitor: 7 Goals: Eill McDougal Assists: Dom Roth

Bantam: LL2 Oct 22 vs BEVERLY Home: 3 Visitor: 4 Goals: Braxton Breen, Michael Wang, Thomas Hill-Ring Assists: Josh Moore, Thomas Hill-Ring, Dom Roth

Bantam: MAJOR A Oct 28 vs New Hamburg Huskies Home: 6 Visitor: 0 Goals: Tyler Martin (3), Michael Hayes, Cameron Leonard, Nate Snyder Assists: Owen Lee, Nate Snyder, Kyler Austin, Cameron Leonard (2) Shutouts: Kody Lewis

Bantam: MAJOR A Oct 29 vs Owen Sound Jr. Attack Home: 5 Visitor: 3 Goals: Owen Lee, Austin

Becker, AJ Mitchell (2), Easton Gowing Assists: Cameron Leonard (2), Nate Snyder, Owen Lee, Kyler Austin, Evan Roth, Tyler Martin, AJ Mitchell, Michael Hayes (2)

Midget: LL #1 Oct 23 vs Ayr Home: 0 Visitor: 3

Midget: LL #1 Oct 27 vs New Hamburg Home: 3 Visitor: 4 Goals: Adam Schill (2), Ben Weigel Assists: Tyson Mifflin (2)

Midget: LL #1 Oct 29 vs Hespler Home: 1 Visitor: 0 Goals: Adam Schill Assists: Eli Baldin Shutouts: Matt McArtle

Midget: LL#2 Oct 28 vs New Hamburg Huskies #1 Home: 1 Visitor: 5 Goals: Tyson Kraemer Assists: Emmett Bartley, Mac Willms

Jr. Sugar Kings Oct 28 vs Oakville Rangers Home: 2 Visitor: 0 Goals: Griffen Rollins (2) Assists: Daniel Carr, Cole Altman, Lukas Shantz, Austin Cousineau Shutouts: Bryce Detweiller Oct 28 vs Erin Hillsburgh Home: 2 Visitor: 0 Goals: Owen Harnock, Nolan McLaughlin Assists: Riley Runstedler, Daniel Carr, Cole Altman Oct 29 vs Owen Sound

Home: 8 Visitor: 1 Goals: Evan Gowing, Nolan McLaughlin, Nolan Hislop (2), Austin Cousineau, Griffin Hergott (2), Lukas Shantz Assists: Nolan Hislop, Griffin Hergott (3), Cole Altman, Owen Harnock (2), Evan Gowing (3), Griffen Rollins, Lukas Shantz, Riley Runstedler, Austin Cousineau, Brad Hale

WOOLWICH WILD

Novice: B Oct 28 vs Waterloo Ravens Home: 3 Visitor: 6 Goals: Sophia Metzger, Cayleigh McQuinn, Emma McCoubrey Oct 29 vs Wilmot Wolverines Home: 4 Visitor: 0 Goals: Katelyn Snider (2), Emma McCoubrey, Cayleigh McQuinn Assists: Sophia Metzger (2),Kara Grant, Maya Slot, Addison Birmingham, Leah Thompson Shutouts: Hailey Thom

Atom: ATOM B Oct 28 vs Walkerton Home: 0 Visitor: 1

PeeWee: B Oct 24 vs Twin Centre Home: 2 Visitor: 0 Goals: Olivia Bloemberg, Kyla Bloch Assists: Alison Martin Shutouts: Makenna Kroetsch

WATERLOO WOLVES

Atom: MAJOR Oct 22 vs Brantford 99ers Home: 2 Visitor: 1 Goals: Tyson Carter, Jared Wellman Assists: Peyton Ahrens, Alex Shantz

Atom: WHITE Oct 28 vs BLACK Home: 5 Visitor: 1 Goals: Tyson Carter (3), Noah Myke, Alex Shantz, Daniel Kruger Assists: Nolan McPherson (2), Onyx Spark, Gianluca Renon, Peyton Ahrens

Atom: MAJOR Oct 29 vs Hamilton Huskies Home: 2 Visitor: 2 Goals: Nolan McPherson, Tyson Carter Assists: Isaac Cruickshank, Peyton Ahrens TOURNAMENT

Atom: MAJOR Oct 15 vs Richmond Hill Stars Home: 3 Visitor: 0 Goals: Priyen Jobanputra, Alex Shantz, Tyson Carter Assists: Hugh Fraser, Peyton Ahrens Shutouts: Jack Silver TWIN CENTRE STARS

Atom: AE Oct 29 vs New Hamberg Home: 2 Visitor: 1 Goals: Keenan Wilker, Hunter Bender Assists: Waiden Nicholls, Reid Gerber

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AD FEATURE | WINTER CAR CARE | 15

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

WINTER

CAR CARE WINTER IS COMING!

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WE ALSO SPECIALIZE IN: • Asphalt Paving & Repairs • Catch Basin & Manhole Repairs • Route & Hot Pour Crack Filling • Seal Coating • Dust Control • Snow Plowing 802 Sawmill Road, Bloomingdale, ON N0B 1K0

16 | AD FEATURE | WINTER CAR CARE

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

WINTER

CAR CARE WINTER IS COMING!

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to all CARS, LIGHT TRUCKSS & SUVS WE’RE COMMITTED TTO…

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1070 Industrial Cres., St. Clements

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www.houghtonrustcontrol.com

100 Bonnie Crescent, Elmira

519.669.1949

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THOMPSON’S Auto Tech Inc.

30 ORIOLE PKWY. E., ELMIRA | Make your appointment today!

VISIT US FOR YOUR WINTER CAR CARE NEEDS!

*An official mark of the Province of Ontario used under licence

519.669.4400

OIL & FILTERS

BATTERIES

TOOLS

4

Locations to Serve YOU! GOOD AUTO PARTS

81 Arthur St. S., Elmira Store Hours:

519-669-1533

Mon-Fri: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Sat: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

CARQUEST ERIN

CARQUEST FERGUS

519-833-9785 519-843-1620 w w w.g o o d a u to p a r ts.c a

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AND MORE!

AD FEATURE | WINTER CAR CARE | 17

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Prevent problems before they occur Winter weather is hard on your vehicle. This fall, get a complete check-up of your: BATTERY

Your motor needs a fully charged battery to start in cold weather. Clean battery posts and check the charging system and belts. Replace weak batteries before they fail.

IGNITION SYSTEM

Replace defective ignition wires, cracked distributor caps and worn spark plugs, since they can make starting difficult or may cause a sudden breakdown.

DOING IT RIGHT SINCE 1933

BRAKES

Check or service your brakes to ensure even braking.

Pulling, change in pedal feel, or unusual squealing or grinding may mean they need repair.

TIRES

Check pressures often, especially before any highway driving. Properly inflated, quality winter tires will give best traction on winter roads and increase fuel efficiency.

1370 KING ST N. St. Jacobs, ON (519) 664-3412 thomantireser vice.ca We also offer complete lines of high quality tires such as

(1989) Ltd.

18 | VENTURE

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

VENTURE FOOD FOR THOUGHT/ OWEN ROBERTS

Livestock disease winging its way north as climate warms

ENERGY / COST OF DOING BUSINESS

Electricity pricing schemes creating uncertainty

FIELD NOTES

formation to the provincial legislature, has said that temporary rate decrease being experienced currently will be offset by much larger expenses down the road.

According to its report, the FAO found the refinancing cost proposed by Kathleen Wynne’s government will see the province borrow an average of $2.5 billion annually to subsidize consumers’ electricity.

This, together with an HST rebate on electricity and some relief programs, will see electricity rates drop for most people for the next ten years.

FLYING, BITING MIDGES, SOMETIMES called nosee-ums – are a scourge to wildlife. Hunters in our area recognize their effects on deer in particular, which are highly susceptibile to a group of midgetransmitted viruses.

Now there are growing concerns about their potential effect on livestock, too.

Here’s why. A midge swarm will blood-feed on animals, causing irritation, potential blood loss … or worse. Besides the pain they inflict through their bites, midges also carry and spread harmful viruses that can lead to diseases called epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and bluetongue.

Both diseases can be fatal in deer; the latter is especially concerning in sheep. They can also affect cattle, causing the animals to develop lethargy and general malaise, impacting productivity.

At least 1,200 species of Culicoides spp. midges have been identified globally. This particular species, C. sonorensis, has been confirmed as a vector

HYDRO | 19

ROBERTS | 19

In run-up to the election, the provincial government is doing some creative accounting to counter growing frustration

FAISAL ALI BUSINESSES AND HOMEOWNERS ALIKE feeling under siege by rising electricity rates got a bit of a reprieve this week from the Ontario Energy Board. The organization that typically sets rates on May 1 and November 1 indicated there would be no increase this time around, a departure from what’s been the norm for years.

The board’s announcement came in conjunction with the shift of time of use (TOU) billing to the winter schedule effective Wednesday.

Holding the line on prices is a marked depar-

ture from the norm for the province, which has seen electricity costs sore predictably over the last several years. This is in line with the new Long-term Energy Plan set out by the province last week, which touts a 25 per cent reduction in electricity rates, the result of billions in increased debt down the road.

According to data on the Ontario Energy Board website, between 2008 and 2016, TOU electricity prices rose an average 9.3 per cent a year.

“It’s been a huge issue I think for businesses and all sectors across Ontario, and I think this will be, along with labour legislation,

probably the dominant issues in the election coming up, the provincial election next spring,” noted Art Sinclair, vice-president of the KW Chamber of Commerce The current rates sit at 6.5 cents per kWh during off-peak periods, 9.5 cents during mid-peak, and 13.2 per kWh during on-peak hours.

The electricity rates dropped significantly on May 1 of this year in anticipation of the expected adoption of the so-called Fair Hydro Plan by the provincial government. The plan mandated a 25 per cent immediate decrease in electricity prices, followed by increases being pegged

to inflation for the next four years. Once the plan came into effect in June, the Ontario Energy Board dropped the rates again the month after in July to their current value.

The rate decreases are bound to offer some relief to Ontarians on their energy bills, at least for the short-term.

However, some independent analysts say the relief is only temporary and the plan will cost taxpayers more, and drive electricity prices even higher in longrun.

The Ontario Financial Accountability Office, an independent research organization that provides in-

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VENTURE | 19

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

ROBERTS: Wildlife, livestock at greater risk FROM | 18

of these viruses, which are historically found in the southern U.S. and have also been detected in parts of western Canada.

However, researchers have started issuing warnings about the windborne midges’ movement from the U.S. into Ontario.

Here’s why. A good wind can blow a midge swarm as far as 700 kilometres in just a few days. And thanks to climate change, once the midges arrive, they have a warmer climate in which to survive.

Historically, outbreaks have occurred every 10 or more years in northern zones. But University of Guelph PhD student Sam Allen, who is studying the midge as a disease vector with her supervisor Prof.

Nicole Nemeth in the Ontario Veterinary College, says in recent years, these northern outbreaks seem to be occurring more frequently, every five years or so.

The reasons for this are unknown, but many scientists believe that climate

change is involved.

C. sonorensis was first identified in Ontario in 2013. In addition, in 2015, three resident cattle were found to have antibodies against bluetongue virus, suggesting they’d been exposed locally to the disease.

The situation has intensified. Last month, in conjunction with Allen’s field studies, the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative diagnosed two whitetailed deer from around London that died from EHD. The cause of death was confirmed by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Winnipeg. Up to that point, in Canada no animal deaths east of Alberta had been attributed to EHD. In the field, Allen has been receiving cooperation from the farming and hunting communities.

Since the spring, she’s worked with 11 beef and sheep farmers in southwestern Ontario and in the Grey-Bruce region to monitor the incidence of C. sonorensis and the diseases it may be spreading.

She’s also connected with hunting groups to make them aware of her study.

On each farm, Allen set insect traps and took blood samples from livestock.

This fall, she and Nemeth are analyzing the samples in conjunction with collaborators at the CFIA, and want farmers to be aware of this new development.

There’s no evidence this disease affects humans.

But Allen think the midge’s arrival in Ontario, and the death of the deer in London, should be on farmers’ radar.

“As environments are become increasingly shared between humans, livestock and wildlife, there is an increased risk of pathogen spread among these groups,” she says. “That means it’s important to gain a better understanding of the factors that contribute to risks of pathogen infections.”

She says this understanding will contribute to better predicting and possibly managing disease spread, to safeguard the health of livestock and others.

Bulk Pantry & More

Welcome to our Christmas Open House November 6 th - 11 th, 2017

However, from 2028 to 2049, taxpayers will be forced to pay back those loans with interest, ultimately driving electricity prices even higher than they would have been otherwise. The net result will save $24-billion on their bills in the short-term while costing $45 billion in the coming years.

The Auditor General of Ontario, likewise a nonpartisan officer of the legislative assembly, raised similar concerns about the plan. In its October 2017 report, the office claimed the provincial government was deliberately obscuring the details around the refinancing.

“After reviewing the information available to us, it is clear to us that the government’s intention ... was to avoid showing a deficit in the province’s budgets and consolidated financial statements for 2017/18 to 2019/20, and to likewise show no increase in the provincial net debt,” read the report from Bonnie Lysyk.

More than that, the report says, “it was known that the planned financing structure could result in significant unnecessary costs for Ontarians.”

The report notes that eligible ratepayers will only

pay 75 per cent of their energy bills over the course of the program. However, to make up for the shortfall and pay electricity generators the full amount entitled in their contracts, the province must float the other 25 per cent.

Of that, nine per cent is taken care off through the HST rebate and other programs. The remaining 16 per cent must be borrowed from capital markets at the provincial borrowing rate.

“The province incurs interest on the 16 per cent OFA [Ontario Financing Authority] borrowings, and a future government will eventually collect money from Ontarians (ratepayers, taxpayers or both) to repay both the principal borrowed and the accumulated interest.”

For businesses, the uncertainty in electricity rates going forward are a natural deterrent to growth.

“It’s the long-term stability of the system that I think is a concern for most businesses across the province of Ontario,” noted Sinclair.

“You just look at the debt that’s been incurred across the system and it goes back years. This isn’t a problem that started five, six years ago; this has just been kind of a systematic problem across the province for 40

or 50 years.”

For local utility companies like Waterloo North Hydro and Kitchener Wilmot Hydro, while much of the pricing points are essentially out of their hands, there is still a fair bit that the companies can, and have, been doing.

“For a lot of businesses here in Waterloo Region or particularly in the cities, Waterloo North Hydro has been exceptionally good in working with our local businesses and so has Kitchener Wilmot [Hydro],” said Sinclair.

Jeff Quint, manager of energy efficiency at Waterloo North Hydro, explained that the company was willing to work with their customers to help them lower their bills any way they can.

“We spend a lot of time in the field working with the customers to try and help them where their energy is used and how they can make better use of it,” said Quint, noting their services were available to everyone from residential customers to large-scale industrial plants, and everything in between.

With electricity prices facing a shaky future, energy-efficiency may be the best relief for people looking for a sustained reduction in their electricity bills.

Gifts, cards, books + toys & games for all ages!

Specialty Christmas baking supplies in stock now!

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1200 Queen’s Bush Rd., Wellesley ON N0B 2T0 51 9-656-3400

Public Input Meetings on the 2018 Regional Budget Public Input meetings are scheduled to gather input on the 2018 Regional Budget. The meetings will be held on:

Wednesday, November 22, 2017 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday, December 5, 2017 6:00 p.m.

HYDRO: Conserving to reduce growing bills FROM | 18

COME SEE WHAT’S NEW!

Both Meetings will be held at: Regional Council Chamber 150 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor, Kitchener If you are interested in Regional services you may wish to attend.

Final approval of the Region’s 2018 Operating Budget and Ten-Year Capital Program is scheduled for Wednesday, December 13, 2017, with the meeting starting at 1:00pm.

Notice of these meetings is being given in accordance with the “Municipal Act” as amended and the Region’s Notice Policy.

Please visit our website for more information on the Regional Budget: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regionalgovernment/budget.asp or view the 2018 Preliminary Budget Book and 2018 Budget Issue Paper Package after November 17, 2017 at the Council and Administrative Services Office, 150 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor, Kitchener. To speak to a staff person in Corporate Budgets regarding the budget, please call Cheryl Braan at 519-575-4705 or email CBraan@regionofwaterloo.ca.

You are welcome to attend any of the scheduled budget meetings or Council meetings.

For a copy of the budget schedule please visit our website, as above. Members of the public may register as a delegation at the two public meetings on November 22nd and December 5th, 2017. Please contact the Regional Clerk’s Office at 519-575-4400 or regionalclerk@regionofwaterloo.ca to register to speak at the public meetings by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 20th (for the November 22nd meeting) and Monday, December 4th (for the December 5th meeting).

If you require accessible services to participate in these meetings, please contact the Regional Clerk’s Office by the Friday prior to the meeting.

Unable to attend the Budget Public Input meetings? Join the conversation online at www.engageregionofwaterloo.ca by November 22nd to provide your feedback on the Region’s 2018 Budget.

Kris Fletcher Regional Clerk All comments and information received from individuals, stakeholder groups and agencies regarding the budget are being collected to assist the Region of Waterloo in making a decision. Under the “Municipal Act”, personal information such as name, address, telephone number, and property location that may be included in a submission becomes part of the public record. Questions regarding the collection of this information should be referred to Cheryl Braan, as above.

20 | THE ARTS

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

THE ARTS ON STAGE / LIVE MUSIC

Fiddlin’ and footwork in step at the Commercial Tavern Sunday The Ballagh Family Band will be singing, dancing and playing multiple instruments in traditional Celtic show with Canadian stylings

Liona Boyd putting the classical in Christmas at Nov. 19 concert STEVE KANNON

The Ballagh Family, Paige, Matthew, Janice, Michael, Devan and Gary, bring their varied talents to the stage Nov. 5 in Maryhill.

STEVE KANNON THAT ADAGE ABOUT THE family that plays together stays together certainly applies to the Ballagh Bunch, performers of traditional Celtic music with an East Coast flavour.

Gary and Janice Ballagh, along with their four children – Devan, Michael, Paige and Matthew, ranging in ages from 26 to 17

– will bring their multiinstrumental step-dancing show to the Commercial Tavern in Maryhill on Sunday afternoon.

The kids more or less having been born into performing, the Ballagh family have toured extensively for more than a decade, branching out from their home in Teeswater. They were introduced to step dancing at a young age, as

musical instruments proliferated, branching out to the likes of piano, mandolin and cello to accompany the singing.

Their show is heavy on fiddles and dancing, as you might expect. The Irish and Scottish roots are joined with Canadian stylings.

“It’s old-time country to down East kitchen-style

PUMPKINS NOW RELEGATED TO the compost bin, it’s all Christmas, all the time at this point.

And that’s just fine with Liona Boyd, who launches her holiday show this month, including a stop at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Kitchener on November 19. That will be the second concert of A Winter Fantasy as the season gets going.

As has been the case for the last couple of years, she’ll be joined by Waterloo’s Andrew Dolson, a classically trained guitarist and singer.

The tour takes its name from the 2015 CD, Boyd’s third Christmas album.

“My favourite is the latest one. It’s got a real magical feel to it,” she said. “I just love the pieces on A Winter Fantasy because they’re all traditional, but with my own arrangements.”

She and Dolson will be playing tunes from the album. There will be solos and songs performed as a duo.

Though largely Christmas-oriented, she’ll likely include at least a couple of songs to mark the country’s sesquicentennial, including “Canada My Canada” from her 2013 ode to the country she came to from England at the age of 8, The Return… to Canada with Love, and “Song of Ontario.”

FAMILY | 32

BOYD | 32

[SUBMITTED]

mom Janice was one of the McMichael sisters, “Canada’s step dancing sweethearts” who were guests on the Tommy Hunter Show, and have performed in places such as the Miami Fiddle Festival, Carmen Fiddle Festival, Dartmouth Old Tyme Festival, Fiddles of the World and numerous performances in New York State.

The three oldest kids

won numerous step dancing competitions early on.

Step dancing performances often going hand-in-hand with fiddling contests, it was only natural to eventually start the kids out with fiddle lessons, notes dad Gary Ballagh.

“We were going to these contests anyway … it just made sense to pair them up.”

From fiddle lessons, the

COMING SOON BOOKING APPOINTMENTS FOR NOVEMBER 25 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE, ELMIRA

519-669-9919

charlene@bauerhearing.com

Charlene Bauer

CLASSIFIED | 21

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

CLASSIFIED HELP WANTED

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE:

WEDNESDAYS BY 10AM HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

FOR SALE 12 TON FEED Bin. Freshly painted steel. $1,200. Please call 519-664-3365.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRUCK BUILDERS Immediate openings for qualified technicians

Mechanical Assembler / Repair Environmental truck manufacturer located in Elmira Ontario is looking for a Mechanical Assembler to join our production and service team. Duties include, mounting new equipment on trucks, pumps, hydraulics, PTO’s, frame equipment and vacuum truck repair. . Willing to train the right candidate. If you are mechanical and a team player with some experience in heavy equipment / farm / truck and you want to make it a career, this may be for you!

Welder / Fitter / Fabricator Layout, fit and weld components, parts, truck body subassemblies. Shear, press, brake experience viewed as an asset. Full time career position.

Apply in person, 8am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.

Fax: 519-669-8331 or Email: info@vacutrux.com Thank you for your application. If you have applied to us previously please feel free to apply once again. Full time career positions with great benefits package. Starting wage depending on experience. Hiring full-time day shift.

JOURNEYMAN PLUMBER Tri-Mech Inc. is a mechanical company specializing in Gas Fitting, Hydronic Heating, Geothermal, Furnaces, Air Conditioning, Sheet Metal, Plumbing, and High Pressure Cleaning Systems. We service agricultural, light commercial and residential systems.

We are currently seeking a Journeyman Plumber or 3rd year apprentice who is a team player and able to work with minimal supervision. Qualifications in Refrigeration, Gas Fitting, or Sheet Metal would be an asset but not a requirement.

Tri-Mech offers competitive wages and health benefits.

Applicants are invited to submit a letter of application or resume by fax to 519-638-3342, or by email to jobs@trimech.ca

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, November 4th • 11am-1pm 33 Bristow Creek Dr., Elmira

Craftsmen Hardwoods Inc is seeking a

FULL TIME

AZ DRIVER

Objective: Drive tractor and 53’ curtain-side trailer with attached forklift.

Deliver wood products to woodworking businesses in southern Ontario.

Multiple drops per day, Monday to Friday. Home every evening.

NEW PRICE

$469,900







IMMACULATE CUSTOM BUILT BACKING ONTO GREENSPACE 3 bedroom, 3 bath bungalow professionally finished top to bottom. Generous lot, backing onto gentle ravine and backyard oasis. Call now to view!

Carolyn Sullivan,

Skills & Requirements: AZ driving experience Forklift driving experience an asset Professional mannerism Team player Customer service oriented

226-979-2922 OFFICE 519-843-7653 DIRECT



csullivan@edgerealtysolutions.com







Our Mission Statement To glorify God while providing quality wood products and services to the Ontario market Please submit resumes via: Attn: Luke Fax 519-638-3105 Email hr@craftsmenhardwoods.com In Person 34 Drayton Ind. Dr. Drayton ON Only those selected for an interview will be contacted 519-638-3380 | www.craftsmenhardwoods.com

#1

Cabinet and Stair Installer to our team. This position requires excellent team skills, motivation and integrity. 3 years prior woodworking experience will be an asset.

If you are interested in joining a vibrant, growing company, we would love to talk with you. Please email your resume to: laverne@woodlandhorizon.com or call 519-638-5961 to set up an interview.

NEWS

SOURCE

IN THE REGION

HELP WANTED NURSERY WORKERS NEEDED starting August 31, 2017, seasonal fulltime. Pay rate $11.60/hour. Working hours 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., 6 days per week. Work includes field potting, weeding in field and containers, truck loading, digging etc. Must be willing to work in all weather conditions and weekends. No education , no experience required. Own transportation required. Police clearance needed. Please send resume to: West Montrose Farms Ltd., 1614 Halm Road, West Montrose, ON. N0B 2V0.

WEEKLY HOUSE CLEANER Needed for family home in Heidelberg. Strong preferance for Tuesdays or could be split into two shorter days, Tues/Thurs. Must be okay with dogs. $15/hour cash. Please call 519-5897141 and leave message.

Sales Representative



We are experiencing continued growth and are wanting to add another

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

REAL ESTATE HELP WANTED

Woodland Horizon Ltd is a mid sized, high end Cabinet and Stairs manufacturing company located in the small town of Drayton. We pride ourselves in offering excellent quality and service to our many wonderful customers.

ANNOUNCEMENT ELMIRA DUPLICATE BRIDGE Oct. 19/17 1st - Al Graff & Keith Kennedy 2nd - Yvonne Taliotis & Judy Komer Oct. 26/17 1st - Judy Komer & Jim Goll 2nd - Jeff Beatty and Al Graff

WORK WANTED MAN, TRUCK AND Trailer - clean ups, odd jobs, firewood delivery, yard work - can help. Call David 226868-0245.

CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE HOW TO REACH US

TRAINING & LESSONS KARATE!!! SESSION 2 BEGINS NOV. 15TH AT SCHWEITZER’S MARTIAL ARTS Learn Selfdefense, Self-discipline, Self-confidence GROUP CLASSES FOR AGES 4 TO ADULT Seminars, March Break and Summer Karate Camps Classes taught by Sensei Becky Schweitzer, 3rd Degree Black Belt and World Karate Champion Location at the Hawkesville Mennonite Church - 15 Martha Street, Hawkesville (approximately 5 minutes from St. Clements, Heidelberg, Linwood & Wallenstein) Ask about our 10 week sessions. Call 519-580-1418 or e-mail becky_schweitzer@ hotmail.com

HEALTH CARE BOWEN THERAPY YOUR choice for effective treatment of specific health conditions or wellness maintenance. KEVIN BARTLEY, Professional Bowenwork Practitioner, Clock Tower Wellness Centre, 69 Arthur St. S., Elmira. 519-669-0112.

Every Body is Better with Bowen!

CHESTERFIELD AND CHAIR. Blue, good condition. $75.

Call 519-669-8987.

FRESH OR FROZEN oven ready roasters. Mervin and Louisa Gingrich 519-669-2043.

MATTRESS AND BOX Spring, new, never used, still in sealed bag. Sacrifice $195. Delivery available. Newly refurbished digital dehumidifiers, 90 day warranty, $95. 519-635-8737.

VINYL FARM HOUSE replacement windows. Energy Star rated and certified.

No extra charge for custom sizes. Installation available.

519-698-2059.

AUCTIONS SAT. NOV 4 at 9:00 AM Annual charity auction of apporx 100 quilts; new donated items; gift certificates; baking and much more to be held at the Stratford Rotary Complex 353 McCarthy Rd in Stratford for the Gospel Echoes Ontario Team. Jantzi Auctions Ltd. 519 656 3555 www.jantziauctions.com FRI. NOV 10 at 5:00 PM - Toy auction of die cast cars; farm toys; American Muscle; metal signs; memorabilia; banks; precision Franklin Mint and much more to be held at the St. Jacobs Community Centre in St. Jacobs for are collectors. Jantzi Auctions Ltd. 519 656 3555 www.jantziauctions.com AUCTION SALE OF Farm toys, tractor trailers, coins banks, older toys, literature & other interesting items, to be held at the K.W. Khaki Club, 2939 Nafziger Rd. 2 miles south of Wellesley, for the Bill & Reta Schmidt Estate, Kitchener, and additions, on Saturday, November 18th @ 10:00 a.m. Gerber Auctions Ltd. 519-699-4451 or 698-0138

CONTINUED ON PG. 22

WEDNESDAYS BY 10AM Call: 519-669-5790 to BOOK YOUR AD TODAY!

PHONE 519.669.5790 | TOLL FREE 1.888.966.5942 | FAX 519.669.5753 | ONLINE WWW.OBSERVERXTRA.COM

ADDRESS 20-B ARTHUR ST. N., ELMIRA, ON N3B 1Z9 PLACING A CLASSIFIED WORD AD

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In person, email, phone or fax submissions are accepted during regular business hours. Deadline for Thursday publication is Wednesday by 10 a.m. All Classified ads are prepaid by cash, debit, Visa or MasterCard. Ask about Observer policies in regard to Display, Service Directory and Family Album advertising.

22 | CLASSIFIED

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

CLASSIFIED ADS CONTINUED FROM PG. 21 AUCTIONS SAT. NOV 18 at 10:00 AM - clearing auction sale of household effects; furniture; antiques; collectables; and miscellaneous items to be held a 5 Weigel Ave in Elmira for Ina Martin. Jantzi Auctions Ltd. 519 656 3555 www.jantziauctions.com

FARM SERVICES BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS Agricultural Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-6692045.

FARM SERVICES KILN DRIED CORN & CORN SCREENING Delivered by Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

FIREWOOD GERBER’S FIREWOOD SERVING you for over 10 years. Your #1 source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available.

519-656-2057.

HAY & STRAW 30 ROUND BALES of 4 x 41/2 ft first cut hay. Call 519-5957309.

FIREWOOD

WANTED

SEASONED HARDWOOD FIREWOOD for sale. $65 picked up, delivery available. Call 519656-3342. Closed Sundays.

HORSES WILL BUY OLD and used horses and ponies to go direct to plant in Quebec. Will buy all types, drug form required but will buy either way. TOP PRICES PAID. Contact Calvin Kuepfer for prices at Horizon Trail Equine at 519-272-3290.

AUTOMOTIVE

BUYING ROLEX, OMEGA, Zenith etc, pocket watches, vintage clocks, all gold & sliver, coins, scrap costume jewellery, musical instruments, rock & roll; jazz records, military items, toys, sports. Email gallamore@ golden.net or 519-242-6900, fair honest prices.

FOR SALE 2013 Toyota Corolla. Blue, 5-speed manual, keyless entry, bluetooth, AC. Spacious and fuel efficient. Well maintained, dealer serviced. Highway driven 202,000kms. Certified & e-tested $8,000. Call 519-504-1176.

RENTALS

RENTALS

2 BEDROOM APARTMENT in Elmira. Quiet building, newly renovated, close to downtown. Call 519-6695798.

2 BEDROOM APARTMENT in Elmira. Quiet building, newly renovated, close to downtown. Call 519-6695798.

R E TA I L / P R O F E S S I O N A L SERVICES SPACE for rent in Linwood. 1200 sq. ft, $850 + utilities. Available now. Call Don 519-698-1018.

TRADES & SERVICES RON’S DRYWALL AND Renovations. Over 35 years experience. Please call 519-496-7539 or email ron. soncr@gmail.com

REAL ESTATE

Results That Move You ...

OPEN HOUSE

NEW LISTING

SAT, NOV 4 1-3pm

Alli Bauman Paul Martin Sue Wideman SALES REPRESENTATIVE CALL DIRECT

SALES REPRESENTATIVE CALL DIRECT

50 Limera Avenue, Elmira

SALES REPRESENTATIVE CALL DIRECT

519-577-6248 519-503-9533 226-750-9332 allibauman@rogers.com

paul@remaxsolidgold.biz suewidemanhomes@gmail.com

Elmira - First time Home Buyers this is the one you have been waiting for!! Come and enjoy the morning sunlight in this comfortable 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom open concept semi-detached home with east-facing sliders in the kitchen & dinette plus a large window to brighten up the living room. With a finished rec room, garage, fully fenced private yard including a shed, large deck and located steps from a park, this home has everything a young family needs to enjoy life in the vibrant and growing community of Elmira.

$659,900

SOLD

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated

3 Arthur St. S., Elmira | 519-669-5426

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING RE/MAX!

$615,000

Elmira - Stunning 2014 Claysam home boasting 2089 sq ft with 4 generous size bedrooms and ample flex space throughout. Fully fenced, oversize upgraded lot with no rear neighbors.

Open concept main floor is carpet free w/lots of natural light. Main floor laundry, formal dining, appliances included. Don’t miss out! MLS.

$395,000

$459,000

Elmira - The Tristan II features an amazing Barzotti kitchen complete with Granite counter top, 9’ main floor ceilings, Hardwood and ceramic throughout the main floor. This 4 bedroom 3 bathroom is equipped with two sinks in the ensuite as well as the main bathroom. Currently being built and at the drywall stage it is available for viewings in daylight only. With a January 26 closing date and a neighborhood park behind, you will want to come and see this beautiful Verdone built home.

St. Clements - Small town living in St. Clements just minutes from the city! This solid brick bungalow has been lovingly updated over the past 5 years including the kitchen, bathroom, hot tub, furnace, A/C, front window, water heater and softener, gas stove and bar in rec room, and a 16 x 12 shop! With green space behind and in front, this country setting is great for a young family, or grandparents alike. Don’t miss this one!

REMINDER to set your clocks back this weekend!

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage | Independently Owned and Operated

to the friendly town of Milverton – $319,900 Retire Let Conestoga Carpenters build you a beautiful

two bedroom, two bathroom 1,400 sqft townhouse located only 35 minutes from Waterloo or 20 minutes from Stratford. Pick your colours and finishes and enjoy this new chapter in your life.

ADDRESS: 3 Arthur St. S., ELMIRA DIRECT: 519-503-2753 EMAIL: leonmartin@remax.net

Rozema

Bonnie

$319,000 Milverton – Enjoy retirement living at its best, with no steps from the curb to the kitchen sink. This 2 bedroom semi-detached bungalow is the ideal size for this time in your life. Pick your colours and finishes in the home of your dreams. There are options available. This is a new subdivision in Milverton about 35 minutes from KW.

Shanna BROKER

A portion of each sale commission is donated to The Woolwich Community Services.

Brubacher

BROKER

HELPING YOU IS WHAT WE DO …

OPEN HOUSE | SAT • 13PM • 31 SOUTH PARKWOOD BLVD, ELMIRA $664,900 HEIDELBERG Quiet 1/2 acre private mature pie shaped lot $739,000 ELMIRA Bungalow on 65' backing onto farmland, Beautifully wooded lot. Inviting home with open concept kitchen & great rm with gas fireplace, separate dining area, built in appliances, walkout to private deck & patio, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, finished basement offers rec room with gas burning stove & oversized bdrm., double garage. South after location. NEW MLS.

NEW LISTING!

updated 4 Bedroom 2467 sq ft home, generous sized formal Living, dining rms., french doors, hardwood in dining rm., Open concept kitchen & great Room w/gas fireplace, walkouts to tiered cedar deck and hot tub alcove, pool sized back yard! NEW MLS.

NEW LISTING!

$639,900 ELMIRA Attractive bungalow backs onto private municipal greenspace, front great room with vaulted ceiling, gas fireplace & hardwood flrs, kitchen has island/breakfast bar open to the dining area, walkout to covered back porch & private stone patio, main floor master, finished basement offers a great rec.room & a large 2nd bdrm, 3 baths. NEW MLS.

Fall market is here! ARE YOU READY TO SELL? NOW IS THE TIME! CALL US TODAY FOR A FREE CURRENT MARKET ANALYSIS. ELMIRA OFFICE: 519-669-3192 | www.YourFamilyTeam.ca | 90 Earl Martin Dr., Unit 4

CLASSIFIED | 23

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

REAL ESTATE

LET OUR 50+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORK FOR YOU!

ÂŽ Independently Owned and Operated

BROKERAGE

wendy@wendytaylor1.com

R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD.

24hrs 519-747-0231 24hrs

Office:

519-669-2772 45 Arthur St. S., Elmira www.thurrealestate.com

REALTY LTD., BROKERAGE

JULIE

LUKE

SHANTZ Broker of Record, HECKENDORN Broker Sales Rep. MVA Residential Res: 519.669.1068 Cell: 519.588.7562 Cell: 519.584.4400

519.500.1865 (Direct)

BROKER

www.peakrealestate.com

Thinking of Buying or Selling call or email today!

BRAD MARTIN

INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Wendy Taylor

OPEN | 2955 Kressler Rd., Heidelberg HOUSE Saturday, Nov 4 from 1:00 - 3:00pm

Sat, Nov 4 | 2-3:30pm OPEN214HOUSE 214 Brookmead St., Elmira BROOKMEAD ST., ELMIRA

$599,900

54 MCGIVERN ST., MOOREFIELD

$399,900

OVER AN ACRE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; C-1 zoning allows for many different uses. Fin. rec. room. Oversized garage.

Large mudroom/laundry & 2pc. Newer gas furnace & cac. Metal roof. Detached workshop + shed.

Municipal services. MLS

www.KellerSellsRealEstate.com | dale@kellersellsrealestate.com

Palmerston | $283,000 This move in ready 2 bedroom home on a large 0.42 acre lot offers a park like setting backing onto the school yard. New roof and furnace. Large front porch and generous side deck. A beautiful spacious and bright home. MLS Call Dale.

Bruce Peninsula | $36,000 Really want to get away? 6.2 acre bush lot on paved Dyers Bay Road on the beautiful Bruce Peninsula, 45 minutes north of Wiarton. Build your dream retreat. MLS Call Dale.

CAR BUFFS | Near Harriston | $369,000 Don't miss the great value here. Bungalow with 4 CAR DREAM garage. New stone work, new windows, new roof, 2016. 2 + 1 bedrooms, large 0.46 of an acre. MLS Call Dale.

$699,900 HEIDELBERG â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Great rural property, 10 minutes to Waterloo, features totally renovated, 1725 sq.ft. 3 bedroom, 2 bath bungalow. New kitchen, main bath, newer flooring throughout, 25x30 recroom, attached garage and much more. Shows â&#x20AC;&#x153;AAAâ&#x20AC;?. If you are looking for a rural property, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this one! MLS 30609481

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You dream...Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll work.â&#x20AC;?

Free, no obligation, Opinions of value

Call: 519-669-5790 or Visit: www.observerxtra.com

SMALL ADS. BIG IMPACT. CLASSIFIED ADS GET RESULTS Call: 519-669-5790 or Visit: www.observerxtra.com

' , 1 * % $ 7

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' + ( $ 1 3 , 2 ) / 2 / * ( < 2

1 , 7 % $ < 2 6 * , 8 ( , 5 7 $ 6 5 . , , 1 ' / ' < 2

OBSERVER SERVICE DIRECTORY PRINTING SERVICES

0 6 $ 2 ( 0 8 ) 2 ( ) 7 6 2 7 , , 5 1 / 7 8 / , 6 2 5 2 1 ( 6

+ , % $ ' ( : ( + $ % $ 6 8 5 2 6 3 3 6 2 6 7 2 $ ( 2 1 7 ( 3

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2 8 5 6 ( ( 5 8 6 6 7 + 2 , 3 $

SUDOKU CHALLENGE

PLACE AN AD IN OUR REAL ESTATE SECTION TODAY!

This 5 acre property could have a potential in law suite with separate entrance at back. The land is zoned such as to permit dog kennel facilities. The barn currently set up for horses could also be used for many other purposes. What dreams would you have for a property like this. MLS Call Dale.

CROSSWORD PUZZLER

MAKE SURE ITS LISTED IN THE OBSERVER

Numerous possibilities | Just off 401 | $890,000

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

CALL FOR YOUR FREE MARKET EVALUATION

SELLING YOUR HOME?

Sales Representative

410 Conestogo Road, Unit 210, Waterloo, ON N2L 4E2

th

THIS LOVELY 4 BDRM. (2+2) home offers an open concept main floor. Great room w/wall fireplace & vaulted ceiling is open to the kitchen w/island and spacious dining area.

Garden doors lead to a covered porch! Master bdrm w/lge. walkin closet & 3pc. ensuite. Separate entrance to the bsmt from the garage leads to a fin. rec. room, kitchenette, 2 bdrms & 4pc bath. (great in-law suite). Fenced yard. MLS.

Dale R. Keller

519.747.0231 (Office)

24 | CLASSIFIED

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

OBSERVER SERVICE DIRECTORY AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

TIRE

WHERE TIRES ARE A

SPECIALTY, NOT A SIDE LINE.

GENERAL SERVICES

Auto Tech Inc. Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with accuracy and confidence.

Farm • Auto • Truck Industrial On-The-Farm Service 35 Howard Ave., Elmira

BIKE SALES & REPAIRS

THOMPSON’S

Accredited Test & Repair Facility

30 ORIOLE PKWY. E., ELMIRA www.thompsonsauto.ca

www.biobobs.com 519-648-3004

GENERAL SERVICES

We are geared to meet your timing and volume requirements

SEE US FOR

Window & Screen

REPAIRS

BLENDED TO MEET YOUR NEEDS!

800-232-6396

22 Church St. W., Elmira

519-669-5537

STORE HOURS: M-W 8-6, TH-F 8-8, SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

Ph: Elmira (519) 669-5219

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES

AMOS INC

R O O F I N G

Various sizes & rates

• Specializing in residential re-roofs • Repairs • Churches A Family owned and operated business serving KW, Elmira and surrounding area for over 35 years.

CLEAN • DRY • SECURE Call

Blown or Pushed Off

or call today! or

PROFESSIONAL BIKE MECHANIC ON STAFF

Premium Softwood

Visit our website

519-669-4400

519-669-3232

Quality Bedding

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED

519-669-4964

CALL JAYME FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE.

519.501.2405 | 519.698.2114

100 SOUTH FIELD DRIVE, ELMIRA

In Business since 1973 • Fully Insured

IRA HOME COMFORT M L E (519) 669-4600

“25 years in Business”

CONSTRUCTION INC. (519) 569-0772 • Commercial & Industrial General Contracting • Specializing in Concrete Work & Excavation • Retaining Walls

info@trappconstruction.ca www.trappconstruction.ca

• • • •

Stamped Coloured Concrete Demolition Bin Service Machine Bases

APPLIANCES – FURNACES – FIREPLACES AIR CONDITIONERS – WATER HEATERS SPRING SPECIAL ON AIR CONDITIONING TUNE UP $99, INSTALLED FROM $1999 FURNACES INSTALLED FROM $2499 FRIDGES $499, STOVES $399, WASHERS $399, DRYERS $369, FREEZERS $199 Come visit our show room FREE QUOTES 1 Union Street, Elmira

Concrete Breaking & Removal

ehc@hotmail.ca (519)-669-4600

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES

The Right Window Treatment Can

Save you

Blinds

Steve Co.

Plumbing and Maintenance Inc.

by Elite or Mera

In home consultations Wide selection of styles & fabrics 1011 Industrial Crescent St. Clements | 519-699-5411 www.LetUsFloorYou.ca

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL

FREE

INSTALLATION When you buy 3 or more

Hours: M-F 8:30 - 5:30 Sat 9:00 - 3:00

Evenings By Appointment

- Design and build -

AGRICULTURAL | RESIDENTIAL FRAMING • ROOFING RENOVATIONS • EAVESTROUGHS

For all your Plumbing Needs.

Randy Weber

ECRA/ESA Licence # 7000605

24 HOUR SERVICE Steve Jacobi

Wayne Martin | 519-504-2016

519-669-3652

darwayconstruction@icloud.com | Alma, ON

www.rwelectricltd.com

ELMIRA

18 Kingfisher Dr., Elmira | 519.669.1462

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES

WINDOW FASHIONS

Free in-home Consultations.

Call someone you can trust.

Brands You Can Trust 22 Church St. W., Elmira

Tel: 519-669-5537 or 1-844-866-5537 STORE HOURS: M-F: 8-8, SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

SPACE FOR RENT

COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

ST. JACOBS

GLASS SYSTEMS INC. 1553 King St. N., St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0

• Store Fronts • Thermopanes • Mirrors • Screen Repair • Replacement Windows • Shower Enclosures • Sash Repair

Your Business Here!

Advertise your business services in our service directory. Weekly exposure with fantastic results!

Call Donna at 519.669.5790 Ext 104.

TEL:

519-664-1202 / 519-778-6104 FAX: 519 664-2759 • 24 Hour Emergency Service

homewindowfashions.ca

HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES

RESIDENTIAL & AGRICULTURAL

Driveways • Sidewalks • Curbs • Patios Finished Floors • Retaining Walls • Steps Decorative/Stamped and Coloured Concrete www.marwilconcrete.ca

519-577-0370

OUTDOOR SERVICES Since 1998

John Schaefer Painting FREE ESTIMATES Interior/exterior Painting, Wallpapering & Plaster | drywall Repairs

519-503-6033

(CELL)

519-669-2251

36 Hampton St., Elmira

CONCRETE FLOOR/PAD BREAKING & REMOVAL SKID STEER SERVICES • ALL ATTACHMENTS AVAILABLE

CALL ABOUT OUR 28FT FLAT BED SERVICE

CALL DUSTIN AT

226-750-4532

•Final grading •Lawn repair & complete seeding well equipped for large stoney areas •Spike Aerator/Overseeding •Natural & Interlocking Stone •Retaining Walls, Walks & Patios •Help for Top Water & Drainage issue

Murray & Daniel Shantz

ALMA, ONTARIO | PHONE: 519.846.5427

ROLL OFF INDUSTRIAL BIN RENTALS CALL FOR AVAILABLE SIZES CALL DUSTIN AT

226-750-4532

CLASSIFIED | 25

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

FAMILY ALBUM ANNIVERSARY

BIRTHDAY

BIRTHDAY

Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary!

Celebrate

Happy 60th Birthday

Samuel & Mary Ann Lichty

Roseanne

GO AHEAD, MAKE THEIR DAY.

Married on November 2, 1957

Betty Ertel’s 80th Birthday Open House Saturday, November 18th, 2017 1:00 - 4:00 PM St. Teresa of Avila Church

The Lichty family invites friends and relatives to an open house to share in the celebration on Sunday, November 5, 2017, 2:00-4:30 pm at Faith Mennonite Church, 1533 Chalmers Forrest Road, Wellesley, ON N0B 2T0.

Best Wishes Only, please.

Your presence is the best gift we can hope to receive.

IN MEMORIAM

OBITUARY

PLACE A FAMILY ALBUM NOTICE! Love Bill, Katie, Patrick & James.

P.S. Congratulations, you’re older than dirt.

Love Pat.

Call: 519-669-5790 or Visit: www.observerxtra.com

PUBLIC NOTICE “PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAS T; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

In memory of our dear daughter and sister

Judy Lynn (Ward) Lorenz May 9 1964 – Nov. 4 2016 th

th

With broken hearts we must go on And face each day since our Judy’s gone God wanted help with design and decor And he called our Judy From her Winterberry’s store She touched the heart of many From the young and to the old And all who met you Judy Said you had a heart of gold She listened to their troubles Their ups and downs in health But never talked about The ones she had herself Time has not made it better Judy But you didn’t go alone A large part of us went with you That day God called you home Only God can know the sorrow Heartbreaking loss and pain That’s what life’s like with out you Judy Until we meet again Dad, Mom, Jerry, Tim, Tracy and Angie

DEATH NOTICES HERRGOTT, THOMAS A.| Peacefully at Golden Years Nursing

Home in Cambridge, on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, Thomas of Wellesley in his 79th year.

KITCHEN, KEITH HOWARD | Passed away at Grand River

Hospital, Kitchener, on Saturday, October 28, 2017, at the age of 81 years, of St. Jacobs.

LAWRENCE, JOAN ELLEN (DOBRASHIAN) | After a life lived in

love and joy, Joan Ellen (Dobrashian) Lawrence passed away peacefully, in her 81st year, on October 18.

WEBER, BABY ALAYNA FAITH | It is with sad hearts that Luke

and Dorothy Ann Weber of Allenford announce the passing of their stillborn baby girl Alayna Faith on Friday, October 27, 2017 at Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound.

Eby, Mel (Melvin) Passed away suddenly at Parkwood Suites, on Tuesday, October 31, 2017, in his 87th year. The loving husband of Martha (Weber) for 65 years.

Amazing father of Darlene (Mark Snider), Don (Dianne), Joyce (Ken J. Jantzi), and Richard (Corey). He will be sadly missed by 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Dear brother of Adeline Horst. Predeceased by his parents Isaiah and Veronica Eby, sisters Persida Brubacher and Amanda Eby, brother Elo Eby, brothers-in-law Emerson Brubacher (Elvina) and Orvie Horst, and sisterin-law Jean Eby. Mel enjoyed his years of farming, and then followed his passion for driving highway coach. Mel and Martha toured for over 25 years with Ayr Coach Lines/ Excell Tours, throughout Canada and the USA. He was very involved in the ministry of Floradale Mennonite Church, and also participated with the Jubilation Male Choir throughout his retirement years. The family will receive their relatives and friends on Friday, November 3, 2017, from 6-8 p.m., and on Saturday, November 4, 2017 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, 62 Arthur St. S., Elmira. The interment will be held at Floradale Mennonite Church on Sunday, November 5, 2017, at 2 p.m. with the memorial service to follow at Floradale Mennonite Church at 2:30 p.m. In memory, donations to Mennonite Central Committee would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.

www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

TO BOOK YOUR FAMILY NOTICE: CALL 519-669-5790 EXT 104 | email: drudy@woolwichobserver.com

DEADLINE: Wednesday by 10am

Remembrance Day Commemoration 2017 The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 469 is inviting the residents of Elmira and the surrounding area to join them for their Remembrance Day services. This year in conjunction with the Remembrance Day parade, they will also be honoring the 100th Anniversary of Vimy Ridge and Canada’s 150th.

To mark the occasion, there will be a cannon salute on Sunday, November 5th during the Remembrance Day Service and will occur at approximately 3:15 p.m. There will also be a flyoverby the Royal Canadian Air Force Harvard airplanes in a missing man formation. This event honours our past and present Canadian soldiers.

A noise by-law exemption permit has issued forAfter thisHours event.

Phone: 519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: been 519-669-1820 Emergency:

519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

2018 Dog Tags are available for purchase now Under the Animal Control By-law #31-2013, it is a requirement that all dog owners within the Township of Woolwich license their dogs. Tags purchased before March 1st receive early bird pricing. In the event your pet is lost and has a license, Animal Services will make every effort to reunite you with your pet at no extra cost. For safe return of your dog if found, please ensure you have attached the Township of Woolwich Dog Tag to your dog’s collar. Dogs without tags are taken to the Humane Society and owners will incur Humane Society costs of $35.00 per day. Dogs wearing their tags found outside of regular Township business hours can also be reported to the Woolwich Memorial Centre or the Breslau Community Centre.

To report a lost or found dog, please contact the Township of Woolwich at 519-669-6009 Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm. After hours, information on lost or found dogs can be provided to the Woolwich Memorial Center or Breslau Community Centre. Please contact the WMC Monday to Friday after 5:00pm until 10:00pm or weekends 6:00am to 10:00pm at 519-669-1647 x 7001 or the BCC Monday to Friday after 5:00pm until 9:00pm or Saturday and Sunday 9:00am to 2:00pm at 519-648-9524.

Dog Tags will be available November 1st at the following locations: The Township of Woolwich Woolwich Memorial Centre Breslau Community Centre

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAS T; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

24 Church Street West, Elmira (Mon-Fri 9am – 5pm) 24 Snyder Avenue South, Elmira (Mon-Sun 6am – 9pm) P.O. Box 158 100 Andover Drive, Breslau 24 Church St. W. (Mon-Fri 4pm-9pm, Sat-Sun 9am-2pm) Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6 315 Arthur Street South, Elmira 519-669-1350 150 Church Street West, Elmira 519-669-5672 2057 Victoria Street North #3, Breslau 519-648-9738 1553 King Street North, St. Jacobs 519-664-3366

Community Information Page

*Pet Valu *Eldale Vet Clinic *Breslau Animal Hospital *Creature Comfort Pet Emporium

Early Tag Renewal Before March 1st: Neutered/Spayed - $25.00 Non-Neutered/Spayed - $35.00

March 1st and Later: Neutered/Spayed - $40.00 Non-Neutered/Spayed - $50.00

For more information about the Woolwich Dog Tag Program please contact the Township of Woolwich at 519-669-6009.

In 2017, less than half the dogs found and picked up were easily identified due to tags and were returned home and reunited with their owner.

Phone: 519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820 After Hours Emergency:

519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

26 | LIVING HERE

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

LIVING HERE COMMUNITY SPIRIT / PAYING IT FORWARD

Friday is that Kind of day, so we’re asked to act accordingly Woolwich officials on board with Random Acts of Kindness Day, launched by KWCF FAISAL ALI A LITTLE KINDNESS GOES a long way. That’s true every day, but especially so tomorrow: Friday is officially Random Acts of Kindness Day. Held annually, the event calls on people to simply take a moment and do something convivial for their fellows.

Living up to the spirit of the day, Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz was with township staff at last Sunday’s Elmira Sugar Kings game, handing out apples in an effort to spread the kindness and spread the word. With her were chief administrative officer David Brenneman, and Rae Ann Bauman of the building department, who is organizing the township’s participation in the day.

“Being kind to people is easy,” said Bauman. “It’s not something that has to be thought or pushed, it should be second nature.

This day kind of honours kindness in people, not only randomly, but if people can take time to be kind, you’ll get more out of life being nice to people than you will being mean to them.”

The kind act could be something as classically polite mannered as holding the door open for someone, taking the extra time to show someone appreciation, or donating blood.

Bauman notes that while

CHEF’S TABLE/ DIERRE ACHESON

A most satisfying twist on that old favourite, chili RECIPE NOTES

In the township, as elsewhere, the scope of the event is really supposed to extend beyond the actual day itself, and is more about community and belonging, said Brenneman.

“Random Acts of Kindness might be one day a year, but it’s about having that feeling and having that attitude and having cultural type spirit throughout the entire year,” said Brenneman, who was the chair of the KW Community Foundation for the

ONE OF OUR KIDS’ favourite meals is chili. This onepot wonder is not limited to ground beef and cheese: low-fat options include local chicken, turkey or quinoa – a satisfying and modern twist on an old favourite. I remember a chili cook-off as a kid and my father making his “chili con carne” – this crock pot of goodness was a winner.

Although I remember the recipe, I will admit to twisting it over the years. Our latest is the “Mardi Gras Chicken Chili,” bringing chicken breast, rice, black, beans and classic Cajun trinity together in tomatoes and chicken stock. The end result is a clean and fresh chili with loads of flavour.

This chili recipe can be done in the crock pot, giving you time at the end of the day to do with it as you please. Perhaps some cornbread muffins would be a nice addition to the table.

KINDNESS | 31

CHEF’S TABLE | 31

Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz (left) was at the Sugar Kings game Sunday to promote Random Acts of Kindness Day. Lending a hand was Rae Ann Bauman of the township building department and her two sons, Quinn and Hunter Bauman.

[FAISAL ALI / THE OBSERVER] the township is promoting the day, it’s up to people to get involved While Random Acts of Kindness day has grown into a nation-wide event, the day was actually started right here in Waterloo Region by a volunteer at the KW Community Foundation, Debb Ritchie. Ritchie approached KWCF with her idea ten years ago, and the organization was keen to support it.

“In our first year we had ten volunteers that went out and did kind acts in the community,” said Be-

than Llewellyn, the group’s director of foundation services. “And now we’re up to over 25 different organizations that are participating locally and encouraging their staff, and participating widely throughout the region.”

When the movement became too large for Ritchie to handle herself, she passed the reigns over to the foundation to manage.

“In addition to the movement growing here locally, it has spread across the country, and will be celebrated in over 250 commu-

nities,” said Llewellyn. The local foundation is part of a network of 191 community foundations in Canada, and many have joined in the Random Acts of Kindness day themselves.

“It’s been picked up from coast to coast to coast,” she noted. “So Random Act of Kindness Day is now celebrated in communities from Fredericton all the way right out to Victoria and the community foundations out there in B.C. It’s really exciting to have seen this grow over the last ten years.”

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THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

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NOVEMBER 3 EATING STRATEGIES FOR A Healthy Weight and Strong Bones. Presented by Tiffany Krahn, registered dietitian. Join us from 10:15-11:15 a.m. at Woolwich Community Health Centre, St. Jacobs.

NOVEMBER 4 REMEMBRANCE DAY TEA & Bake Sale at the Royal Canadian Legion, Elmira from 1-3 p.m. Baking deli table, tearoom, raffle table and penny table.

E-MAIL: ads@woolwichobserver.com

SENIORS COMMUNITY DINING AT Breslau Community Centre at noon. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for a light lunch and fellowship, $6. Call 519664-1900 by noon Nov. 6 to sign up.

NOVEMBER 8

CALMING THE ANXIOUS MIND. Anxiety is a common mental challenge, particularly troubling when our children struggle with it. Explore how anxiety is often a family affair, discuss strategies to help manage anxiety. Join us from 7-9 p.m. at the Woolwich Community Health Centre, St. Jacobs.

SENIORS COMMUNITY DINING AT Calvary United Church, St. Jacobs at noon. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch, fellowship and entertainment, $11. Call 519-664-1900 by noon Nov. 6 to sign up.

NOVEMBER 27

WOODSIDE EVERGREEN – 10:30 a.m. Woodside Bible Fellowship, 200 Barnswallow Dr, Elmira. “Birds of Prey Demonstration” – Sandra Davey, Mountsberg Raptor Centre. Devotional Speaker: Henk Wichers.

Suggested donation $7 includes hot lunch. For information call 519-669-8752.

•

Saturday, 9am-3pm

Quality & Service you can trust.

DECEMBER 14 WOODSIDE EVERGREEN - 10:30 am, Woodside Bible Fellowship 200 Barnswallow Dr Elmira. Christmas Music: Singing, yodeling, Swiss Alpine Bells - Deb Meisner Jones. Devotional Speaker: Randy Hoffman.

For information call 519-669-8752.

NOVEMBER 16

NEW HORIZONS A GROUP for boomers, zoomers and seniors. Join us at 10 a.m. at the Maryhill Community Centre. Greg Gerber, farmer and auctioneer. Topic Going, Going, Gone!

DECEMBER 15 LISTOWEL MENNONITE CHURCH INVITES you to take a journey back to the time when Christ was born and the celebration of his birth. An indoor guided walking tour. Dece. 15 & 16 from 7-9 p.m., Dec. 17 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Donations accepted.

HUNGRY MANS BREAKFAST AT the Elmira Legion from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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Tuesday - Friday, 9am-5:30pm

SENIORS COMMUNITY DINING AT Woolwich Memorial Centre, Elmira at noon. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for a light lunch and fellowship, $6. Call 519-664-1900 by noon Nov. 23 to sign up.

NOVEMBER 19

NOVEMBER 9

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SENIORS COMMUNITY DINING AT Linwood Community Centre at noon. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch, fellowship and entertainment, $11. Call 519-664-1900 by noon Nov. 20 to sign up.

NOVEMBER 15 SENIORS COMMUNITY DINING AT Schmidtsville Banquet Room, Wellesley at noon. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for a light lunch and fellowship, $6. Call 519-664-1900 by noon Nov. 13 to sign up.

519-669-8362

NOVEMBER 22

NEW HORIZONS A GROUP for boomers, zoomers and seniors. Join us at 10 a.m. at the Maryhill Community Centre. Dr. Barb Leblanc, retired surgeon and member of Doctors Without Borders. Topic: In Times of Conflict.

FAITH & CANADIAN VALUES, 37th World Religions Conference is celebrating Canada 150. Scholars from different faiths will explore how Canadian values relate to their respective teachings. At Humanities Theatre, University of Waterloo. Open to all and free of charge. Visit worldreligionsconference.org for more information.

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SUBMIT AN EVENT The Events Calendar is reserved for non-profit local community events that are offered free to the

public. Placement is not guaranteed. Registrations, corporate events, open houses and the like do not qualify in this section.

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THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Remembrance Day NOVEMBER 11 , 2017 th

LINWOOD PARADE | Sun, Nov. 5 ELMIRA PARADE | Sun, Nov. 5 Form up at the Community Centre 1 pm, Service 1:15 pm sharp.

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THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Flyover, cannon salute to mark this year’s Remembrance Day in Elmira 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, Canada’s sesquicentennial prompt Legion to go the extra mile with Sunday’s events FAISAL ALI A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE is being held this Sunday at the cenotaph in Elmira.

This year is especially significant, marking the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge as well as Canada’s 150th year since Confederation. In honour of the occasions, the Royal Canadian Legion in Elmira has organized a flyover by three Second World War-era planes.

“They are World War II Harvard airplanes,” explained Legion member and parade marshal Dawn Marie. “And they will be flying in a ‘missing man’ formation, which is [representative] of us missing our comrades who have fallen.”

The missing man leaves a position in the flight formation vacant to signify the pilot or soldier who didn’t return home.

“We will also have a cannon salute during the service, which is something we’ve never done as well.

One of our members owns a cannon – a small cannon – and it’ll be fired during the service to commemorate the day as well.”

Sunday’s Remembrance Day ceremony in Elmira includes a parade that wends its way to the cenotaph.

The parade will arrive at The service, which begins the recently refurbished at 3 p.m., is itself preceded cenotaph for the service at by a form-up at the Elmira 3 p.m.

Legion, followed by a paIt’s a large expense, but rade through the commuone Marie says the Legion nity. wanted to take on, given the “All of the Legion mempassing of the significant bers, our colour party, our anniversaries. band, our firefighters, our “We felt as a community, Sugar Kings community we needed to pull together service group or community groups, our Boy Scouts, and do this,” she explained.

“Because our mission, Girl Guides, all gather together there and we form- our sacred mission, is remembrance, so the more up into a parade and we that we can pull the comactually march down.” munity together to rememAny group can join in ber, it just hits all of our the parade, which will also goals.” include members of the The idea for the flyover Woolwich Ladies Lions, the originated with fellow LeOptimists club, the Kiwanis gion member John Scheerand the Knights of Columinga, who will be keeping in bus, said Marie.

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radio contact with the pilots to coordinate their flight.

When the event was announced, Scheeringa explained why they decided on the flyover.

“I think it is to add that little wow factor. Not that you want to make Remembrance Day have a wow factor, but I think for the kids, the younger generation … my father was in the service and I talked to him a lot, but the younger kids don’t have that opportunity like I did.

So I think the wow factor with something like that is really crucial. They will roar and shake the ground when they go over, so it is going to be cool.”

April of this year marked the centenary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, one of the defining moments in Canadian history. The mission to capture the fortified ridge in southern France, ended successfully, but at a cost of more than 3,000 Canadians killed and 7,000 wounded.

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30 | LIVING HERE

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

STRANGE BUT TRUE / BILL & RICH SONES PH.D.

Similect versions of English likely to evolve as the most spoken language WEIRD NOTES

Q. On an unnamed

mountain and unexplored region of one of the greenest countries on earth, the scientists arrived by helicopter, feeling like they were â&#x20AC;&#x153;the first humans ever to pass the night there.â&#x20AC;?

Why were they there?

A. Situated on Surinameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grensgeberte Mountains on the border with Brazil, the 18 group members included ornithologists, botanists, â&#x20AC;&#x153;fish squeezers and snake grabbers,â&#x20AC;? all in search of new species, says science and nature writer Richard Conniff in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smithson-

ianâ&#x20AC;? magazine. As part of Conservation International, their goal was â&#x20AC;&#x153;to identify and protect biodiversity worldwide,â&#x20AC;? supported by a team tasked to transfer some 6,600 pounds of equipment by water or land to the remote site.

Thus far, humans have identified about 2 million of the 10-100 million species awaiting discovery and naming. The process is painfully slow, requiring a specialized taxonomist to compare a promising species with already established ones and, if approved, to affix the new species with a commonly accepted scientific name.

All told, the expedition came back with some 60 species new to science. Conservation International will

use this data to help inspire Surinameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Assembly to earmark 72,000 square kilometers of rainforest as a nature preserve, possibly a step toward making species discovery a powerful nation brand for Suriname.

Q. If we all spoke the same language one day, it just might be a variety of a similect. Explain, please.

A. First, a few facts: Man-

darin Chinese is spoken by the greatest number of people, over a billion; next is Spanish, and together the two languages are spoken in some 30 countries, says Hal Hodson in â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Scientistâ&#x20AC;? magazine. Ranking third is English, found in at least 100 countries; it is the first language for some 335 million people, and the second language for another 555

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mauranen envisions a future in which English similects begin to blend over national bordersâ&#x20AC;Ś, and common goals will drive the evolution of the lingua franca, regardless of whether we call it English or not.â&#x20AC;?

Q. How did a pope help make chickens fatter?

What about rabbits?

million. Also, it dominates international relations, business and science.

Now to the question. As Anna Mauranen of the University of Helsinki explains, millions of second-language English speakers have created â&#x20AC;&#x153;similectsâ&#x20AC;? that incorporate elements of their native language with English: Chinese-English, BrazilianEnglish, Nigerian-English.

Languages like German and Estonian will remain the language of choice within their respective borders, and the language directly descended from Shakespearean English will still be favored by Americans and Brits. Plus, â&#x20AC;&#x153;English is likely to be the language of choice for international discourse, simply because it is already installed.â&#x20AC;?

A. Around the mid-10th century, the Catholic Church required its followers to abstain from eating meat from four-legged animals for about 130 days a year, reports â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scienceâ&#x20AC;? magazine.

Probably not coincidentally, the number of chicken bones at European archaeological sites about the same time abruptly doubled.

People began selectively breeding plump, year-round egg-layers that likely had

a gene variant stimulating metabolism and reproduction. When researchers sequenced chicken DNA from 12 such sites dating from 280 B.C.E. to the 18th century, they found that few chickens carried this gene until about 1000 years ago.

As for rabbits, in 600, Pope Gregory I declared fetal rabbits to be aquatic, meaning they were fish and thus could be eaten during Lent, says Tina Hesman Saey in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Science Newsâ&#x20AC;? magazine.

Monasteries in southern France took up rabbit breeding, and rabbits quickly became domesticated.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Bill is a journalist, Rich holds a doctorate in physics. Together the brothers bring you â&#x20AC;&#x153;Strange But True.â&#x20AC;? Send your questions to strangetrue@compuserve.com.

OBSERVER CROSSWORD PUZZLER ACROSS 1. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in your jeans 5. Indian honorific 10. Theater name that means â&#x20AC;&#x153;jewelâ&#x20AC;?

15. __ Software, makers of Quake 16. Stocking stuffer?

18. Not occurring naturally 19. Rulers of Qatar and Kuwait 20. Tip for a calligrapher 22. Blinking light, maybe 24. Social enterprise Me to __ 25. Objective male pronoun 26. Flying geese formation 27. U.S. Fed. construction overseer 28. Small amphibians 30. Simple rhyme scheme 32. Yours truly 33. Young man, in Dublin 35. Soul singer Redding 37. More than suggest 39. Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closest neighbour, abbr.

40. Used before a vowel

41. Word said with a salute 43. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Out of the questionâ&#x20AC;?

44. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This Is Spinal Tap,â&#x20AC;? e.g.

46. Like some statues 47. Pixar film about Carl Fredricksen 48. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And I should care ... why?â&#x20AC;?

49. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Batmanâ&#x20AC;? star Adam 52. Old-fashioned showdown 53. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The coast __ clearâ&#x20AC;?

54. Put in the overhead bin 55. Density symbol 56. Prince, e.g.

57. Completes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;eitherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 58. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite a stretch 59. Big game-show prize 60. Aardvarkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s morsel 61. Ballroom dance 62. Bean used to make miso 63. Word in a simile 65. Rub the wrong way 66. â&#x20AC;&#x153;__ Thee I Singâ&#x20AC;?

67. On good terms with 68. Getting on in years 70. Neuter, as a horse 72. It comes easily to hand

DOWN 1. Text-embellishing symbol 2. Inventor of the stock ticker 3. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A River Runs Through __â&#x20AC;?; 1992 Brad Pitt film 4. Sour expression 6. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I __ Legendâ&#x20AC;?; 2007 Will Smith movie 7. TV variety show â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hee ___â&#x20AC;?

8. Matter for the gray matter 9. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who Wants to __ a Millionaireâ&#x20AC;?

10. Worker in a garden 11. â&#x20AC;&#x153;__ Not Thereâ&#x20AC;?; 2007 Christian Bale movie 12. â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ Talkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? (Bee Gees #1 hit) 13. It needs refinement 14. Computer operators 17. Determined attempt 21. Aircraft compartment 23. His â&#x20AC;&#x153;4â&#x20AC;? was retired 25. Whale-hunting spear 29. Hole in the head 31. 1956 Marilyn Monroe movie

32. Persianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pronouncement 34. Twig or branch of a willow tree 36. Absorb, with â&#x20AC;&#x153;upâ&#x20AC;?

38. Opposite of stop 42. Under the weather 45. Cross-channel vessel 46. Chet Atkinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; instrument 50. LaBeouf of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transformersâ&#x20AC;?

51. Blouse, e.g.

52. Room with an easy chair 53. It makes one hot 54. Word before â&#x20AC;&#x153;I told you so!â&#x20AC;?

56. W.W. II general ___ Arnold 57. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Last Man __ Earthâ&#x20AC;?

58. Word before large 59. Toronto, for short 64. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got you covered 65. Word before only 66. Branch of knowledge (suffix) 67. How some people chatter 69. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seinfeldâ&#x20AC;? uncle 71. Accomplish or execute

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LIVING HERE | 31

THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

KINDNESS: Taking a moment to take part FROM | 26

previous four years.

“Just get out and experience it,” recommends Llewellyn. “I know that people think you should be kind every day, but slowing down and taking a moment and thinking about others,

especially on Random Act of Kindness Day can be a very rewarding experience.”

The KW Community Foundation has been involved in the township for a number of years through the Woolwich Community Fund. The fund has been

active since 2000, and in the past has provided grants towards projects for the township’s libraries, schools and playgrounds.

As of December 2016, the Woolwich Community Fund was valued at $300,000.

CHEF’S TABLE: Getting warm by getting chili FROM | 26

Turkey Chili 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1/2 a large onion, diced 1 clove of garlic, chopped 1 tbsp chili powder 2 tsp cumin 2 bay leaves 1/2 of each red and green pepper, diced 1/2 green zucchini 1 lb ground turkey or chicken 1 can of diced tomatoes 1/2 can of tomato juice 1 small can of tomato paste 1 can of butter beans 1 can of black beans 1/2 cup of cooked rice

In a large pot, sauté ground turkey until cooked through, add herbs, spices and peppers. Sweat for 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook out until it is bright orange (3-4 minutes), add tomatoes and tomato juice. Reduce heat and simmer.

Once the chili has cooked about one hour, rinse off beans in cold water and add to the chili. Add rice, heat through and serve.

In the crock pot, add the browned turkey, vegetables, herbs and spices, tomato paste, tomatoes and juice in the morning before work, turn on low and allow to cook while you are at work.

Cornbread 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. baking powder 2 eggs

1 cup milk 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

In separate bowl, beat eggs until frothy, beat in milk and butter, add parsley.

Add to the dry ingredients and mix.

Pour batter into buttered 8” square pan bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. A toothpick will come out clean when the bread is baked through.

Allow to cool slightly and cut into squares to serve.

Major study finds untreated hearing loss linked to dementia Although the reason for the link is as yet unclear, a recent Johns Hopkins and National Institute on Aging study shows that seniors with hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop dementia over time than those with normal hearing. Researchers say these findings millions of people worldwide and carries heavy societal burdens.”

Further, they suggest a common pathology may underlie the two conditions, or that the strain of “decoding sound” over the years puts undue strain on the brain leaving them more vulnerable to dementia. Other speculation includes the social isolation that often results from hearing loss as a factor that could exacerbate dementia and other cognitive disorders. “Whatever the cause,” the school reports, “their finding may that could delay or prevent dementia by improving patients’ hearing.”

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THE OBSERVER | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

BOYD: Starting out on A Wintery Fantasy tour

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Liona Boyd and Andrew Dolson with the Mississauga Children’s Choir during last year’s tour.

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Given that she’s got a new album out – No Remedy for Love, the same title is affixed to her new autobiography – there’s a chance for a song or two.

Boyd is certainly energized by the new album, which takes its name from David Thoreau’s “There is no remedy for love but to love more.” It builds on the singer-songwriter aspect of her career, on which she’s focussed in the aftermath of musician’s focal dystonia in her right hand, a neurological condition linked to constant repetition of certain movements.

The album is as personal as the autobiography, covering her environmental concerns (A Prayer for Planet Earth), her memories of teenage love (the ABBA-esque Near To You) and her regard for singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot (Lightfoot), with whom she toured in the early part of her career in the 1970s. The title song being a bit more cynical about love than has been her own experience, she thought of Leonard Cohen

and sent the song to him for input, ultimately dedicating it to him prior to his passing. The two had developed a friendship years earlier when they were both living in Los Angeles.

But Christmas remains the focus of the upcoming concert. As with past shows such as last year’s pre-yuletide stop at St. James Lutheran Church in Elmira, Boyd will be performing with local choirs. For the Kitchener concert, it will be The Cambridge Kiwanis Boys Choir.

“I love working with children’s choirs,” she said, noting they lend a special quality to the music.

Working with local choirs is part of the allure of touring small towns, which she still enjoys as part of a career that let her travel the globe, playing from Carnegie Hall to Nepal, performing for a variety of audiences that has included heads of state and royalty.

“My career has let me explore the world. It’s been fantastic,” she said. “I’ve certainly lived an unusual life.”

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She traces that back to attending a classical performance with her mother at the age of 13. It set her on a path that’s taken her to where she is today. And it’s a reason she encourages parents to bring their children to such concerts.

Likewise, she always makes time to speak with fans after a show, autographing materials and merchandise on sale, remembering her own nervous interactions with performers she enjoyed when she was young.

“I hope people will bring their kids. It’s important to start young, to introduce them to music,” she said, noting that the show makes classical music very accessible. “Classical music has a special quality.”

A Winter Fantasy takes place November 19 at 7 p.m. at St. Matthews Lutheran Church, 54 Benton St. Kitchener. Tickets are $40, available online at www.kwtickets.ca (look for “St. Matthews Church” in the Main Group listing), by calling (519) 578-1570 or toll-free 1-800-265-8977, or at the Centre In The Square box office.

FAMILY: Gettin’ their fiddle on in Maryhill music,” said Ballagh. “We like the Maritime way – the ceilidh, that kitchen party thing.”

The concert is a mix of traditional songs – fire up Big John McNeil on the fiddle – to their original compositions. Accompanied by dancing, of course – they’re all accomplished choreographers and composers of step dance. In fact, when not on the road, they can be found teaching at their home studio, The Ballagh’s School of Dance, Fitness, and Music.

It’s very much a family act. Having spent more than a decade performing together – sometimes in very close quarters while on the road – they still enjoy the experience, he said.

They’ve been immersed in

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The Ballagh kids began performing at a young age, adding to their repertoire as the years went on. [SUBMITTED] cial Tavern Sunday (Nov. the music and the culture 5) at 3 p.m. Tickets are their whole lives. available at the venue, 1303 “They don’t know anyMaryhill Rd., or by calling thing else,” Ballagh said, 519-648-3644. For more joking that performing information, visit www. together means he always commercialtavern.ca. knows where his kids The show is part of a fidare at. “We’ve been very dlin’ weekend at the venue, blessed with having them as fiddler Carl Kees will be around.”

The Ballagh Family Band joining Paul Weber’s band for a show Saturday night. performs at the Commer-

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